The Guardian - A My Inner Demons AU Fanfic
by Taealdi
Summary: Given how overprotective Ava's parents are, there is absolutely no way they would leave their baby girl to fend for herself. That's where Emerald comes in: it's her job to make sure the young woman is happy and safe. Of course, that's easier said than done when it comes to the sudden appearance of five mysterious young men...even more so when they all begin fighting over Ava.
1. Prologue - An Introduction (of sorts)

So, the description pretty much lays it out. This is going to be a fan-fiction that follows along with the plot of My Inner Demons (at least until I catch up with where the series is right now. After that...well, we'll see if I wait for new episodes or plunge on blindly ahead) with an additional character.

I realize this may be a bit self-indulgent, in which case I apologize. I've written quite a few fan-fiction in this manner (which will never see the light of day, so please don't ask to see them...they're absolute rubbish). However, now that I'm older I have this crazy idea in my head that it'll somehow turn out better.

I also realize I am a bit late to this fandom party, even though I've been watching the series from the beginning. It's a bit disappointing (as in, I'm disappointed with myself: no shame to Jess!) to see some of my early theories confirmed on YouTube, but it's waaaay too late to get into them now.

So let's see where this crazy thing takes us!

**Name**: Emerald "Em" Vichana

**Age**: 27

**Height**: 5' 11"

**Hair**: Long, dark brown with a few streaks of turquoise underneath. Usually worn up in a messy bun or a single braid down her back

**Eyes**: Green Hazel

**Skin**: Dark (like Rhys)

**Appearance**: Usually just wears jeans and a print t-shirt. Her pajamas are some comfy sweat pants and a striped tank top, revealing a large tattoo on her left arm of two intertwined dragons, going from her elbow to over her shoulder. Always wears a silver chain with two rings on it around her neck. She needs glasses, having two pairs as well as contact lenses which she doesn't like to wear often because she always forgets to take them out at night.

**Occupation**: Remote Editor for a science magazine, used to be in the Air Force

**Description**: A former Air Force sergeant, Emerald was approached by Ava's fathers to keep an eye on their daughter while they are on the campaign trail. Emerald is several years older than Ava and used to babysit her when they were younger.

The apartment featured in this story actually belongs to Emerald: Ava's fathers just pay her portion of the rent and utilities. As a result, money can still be fairly tight for the two women, which is why Emerald has been encouraging Ava to go out and find even a part-time job to help pay for groceries.

Despite these difficulties, Emerald is a caring, if somewhat aloof, roommate. She cooks for the two of them, as well as going running in the mornings before shutting herself inside her room for hours at a time to do her work. Emerald tries to keep Ava on a somewhat normal schedule, but her efforts are not always successful. She was the one who suggested Ava get a job at the grocery store, since they would then have an employee discount to save some money on food. There is a story behind the rings she wears on her necklace which will (hopefully) be revealed in time.


	2. Chapter One - You Had One Job

_This is a work of fanfiction. All characters (except Emerald) belong to Aphmau._

_Please don't sue me._

* * *

Emerald finished stretching just as the elevator doors opened onto her floor. Luckily no one was waiting to enter as she left, so she didn't have to apologize for sitting on the floor to do butterfly stretches. That definitely wasn't something she needed to deal with today.

'_Ava better be up_,' she thought as she fished her apartment key out of her running pouch. '_If she misses that interview, I don't think we'll be able to afford more than ramen and Tang for the rest of the month..._'

The sound of Ava's phone alarm going off greeted Emerald as she came through the door, followed by silence and Ava murmuring softly.

"Ava! You'd better be up by the time I'm out of the shower, or so help me I will drag you out by your foot all the way to that interview!"

"Fine, _Mom_," Ava shouted back sarcastically, undoubtedly rolling over and going back to sleep.

Emerald rolled her eyes as she tossed her running shoes through her open bedroom door, then headed towards her bathroom. She'd set out her clothes before she left for her run, so it wouldn't take her too long to get ready today. That'd give her more time to make sure Ava wasn't late.

* * *

Emerald came out of her bathroom drying her hair just in time to hear Ava yelling at Johnny.

"What the hell you frickin' jerk cat?!" A loud thud, followed by more yelling. "Ugh, I hate you cat! Frickin'...ugh!"

Emerald chuckled. Well, at least Ava was out of bed now. That meant it was time to get some breakfast going...if there was actually anything left to cook. A quick glance through the fridge revealed milk, a few eggs, some leftover pizza, a tiny bit of cheese, and for some reason several boxes of Munchie Scrunchies stuffed with paper towels.

She sighed. "Looks like it's scrambled eggs or pizza," she muttered, getting the ingredients out. "Better make sure Ava gets the eggs."

" - know, I normally sleep in, but I've got a job interview today." The woman in question passed by to the window on the phone, followed by Johnny who jumped up on the coffee table.

"Hey! Off the table, Johnny Cat," Emerald called out, picking up a frying pan. "You can sit on it when you start paying rent." She continued breakfast preparations, stopping only when she heard Ava groan.

"Ugh, it's too early to deal with life!"

"Seriously?" Emerald laughed while she stirred up the eggs. "What're you going to do if you get scheduled for the morning shift?"

"I'll just ask to do the afternoon shifts," Ava shot back, almost tripping over Johnny's food bowl. "Huh? How did you carry that here?"

"Just so you know, we're out of Yum-Yums for the cat." She gave the younger woman a mock serious look. "And you're all out of Munchie Scrunchies. Looks like you'll have to have an actual 'grown-up' breakfast today."

"Heh, good thing my interview is at the grocery store. I'll just pick some up afterwards."

"Before you do that, come eat." Emerald placed a bowl of scrambled eggs on the kitchen counter.

Ava sat down and looked at the bowl. "Em, isn't this what you usually have after a run? What are you going to eat?"

"There's some leftover pizza. I'll just nuke it."

"Are you sure? I know you don't really like too much junk food -"

"Hey, you're the one with the big interview today. I don't have any work coming in until Monday." Emerald smiled at her. "Besides, pizza has tomato in it, which means it's healthy! Now hurry up and eat: you don't want to be late."

* * *

"Chop chop, Ava!" Emerald knocked on the younger woman's bedroom door. "You need to take out the trash before you go."

The door opened and a somewhat harried and pouty Ava stepped out. "Why can't you do it? It's not like you're not doing anything today..."

"I need to drop off the rent money so we still have somewhere for you to be a grumpy pants at the end of the day. Besides, it's your turn and it's on your way."

"Fine. But I get to pick what we have for dinner tonight."

"You don't get this job, it's going to be Top Ramen and Tang until my next check goes through on the 15th." Emerald grinned. "Unless you want to start eating Yum-Yums with Johnny, then we'll have that as an additional option."

"Ugh, gross." Ava sighed. "Fine. I'll make sure to be on my best behavior." She glanced at her phone and gasped. "O-okay, now I really have to get moving!"

Emerald gave her a little pat on the head. "You'll do fine, you'll do great, you'll do wonderful."

"Wow, nice pep talk."

"Eh, it's my day off. I don't need to be eloquent all the time." She turned Ava around and gave her a little push towards the door. "Now scootch! And don't forget the trash!"

* * *

Emerald was curled up on her bed, reading a book and listening to a random YouTube music playlist when she heard the front doors slam open. '_What the hell? There's no way Ava finished her interview already_.' She paused her music, taking off the headphones and dropping them quietly on the mattress.

'_What's that smell? Is something burning_?' She was starting to get a very bad feeling when she heard the sound of voices. It was hard to make out what they were saying, but there was definitely more than one and more concerning...

They sounded male.

'_That's not Ava_!' Emerald carefully reached down and grabbed the baseball bat she kept by her bed for emergencies such as this. She silently slipped off the bed, hefting the bat as she slowly approached her closed door.

Suddenly, the sound of screaming came rushing past her room. "AHHHHH! IT'S NOT FRIENDLY! HELP! AHHH!"

What the hell was going on out there? As Emerald continued to listen, a mix of murmuring and frightened yelling kept coming through the door. Whoever was outside, there was more than one.

And they seemed kind of...stupid.

"The human is escaping!"

Emerald started. That voice had come from right outside her door! It was closely followed by the sound of Ava screaming!

That settled it: it was time to do something! Emerald threw open her door, bat held aloft in her left hand as she rushed through.

The sight that greeted her was both confusing and worrying. It looked like some... cosplayers? ...had broken into the apartment. Johnny was lying on a pale demon cosplayer with pink-ish colored hair, orange horns, and orange and black clothes.

Two other demon cosplayers were blocking the way to the front door. The tan one had white hair with green horns and was wearing a black and green robe, his arms spread wide and a sharp-toothed smirk on his face. The other had dark skin like her own, dark brown hair with sapphire-colored horns, and similarly-colored robes with what looked to be black underarmor.

Ava was to her right, looking pale and frantic. Emerald ran out, grabbing her by the arm and pulling her towards the living room. "This way!"

The two women ran into the kitchen, finding themselves cornered near the stove. Emerald turned around to face the intruders, pushing Ava behind her and brandishing the bat in what she hoped was a menacing manner. From the corner of her eye, she saw Ava grab the frying pan from the stovetop.

It must have worked, because the green-garbed cosplayer gasped as he came around the corner. "A weapon!"

His outcry attracted the attention of a _fourth_ demon cosplayer who emerged from Ava's room. This one had sienna-colored skin, curly dark brown hair with lighter blue horns, and a light blue robe over black underarmor. His right arm was exposed, revealing a tribal-looking black tattoo as well as a body built like a truck. He was definitely the largest so far.

More immediately worrying, he was brandishing a rather intimidating broadsword. This seemed to prompt the others to draw their own weapons, which included two sets of very realistic-looking daggers and a long, black staff with purple accents and what looked like a demon head at the end.

What the _hell_ had Ava been up to?!

"B-back off, or I...I will f-heckin', heckin' scream," Ava sputtered, shrinking further behind Emerald.

"Wouldn't be the first time I made a female human scream," the green one uttered smoothly, a cocky grin on his face.

"Leif, hold your tongue," the dark blue one reprimanded.

"You know what I mean."

"I thought I dreamed you guys up!" Ava was still panicking.

"She saw us in her sleep?" The pink-haired one seemed to constantly be in a state of either panic or awe.

"She must have the ability to foresee us coming. Humans in this world are powerful." The dark blue cosplayer kept muttering under his breath.

"What the hell are you guys talking about?!" Emerald blurted out.

The dark blue one put his staff away (where, exactly, she had absolutely no clue). "Please, we mean you no harm."

A look of confusion crossed broadsword boy's face. "I thought we meant all the harm?"

"_Asch isn't here_," the first whispered through gritted teeth. "Please, we just need help and -"

"I saw you do magic...power...stuff!" Ava cried. "Are you the devil's servants?!"

"The...devil?" The one called Leif seemed confused.

"She means a demon."

"Ohhh."

"Hear me out. We come with peaceful intent to -"

"_I've uncovered it_," a new voice growled from Ava's room. To Emerald's dismay a _fifth_ demon cosplayer popped out, garbed in orange and black with a half-cape of white fur flowing back from his shoulder. He had medium skin and black hair with large white horns curving upwards. "The source of her power."

"Really?"

"Asch and I found it before, but we weren't sure," the light blue one answered, putting his sword away. Emerald noticed the pink-haired one was also now unarmed as well, which gave her an idea.

"W-what?" Ava seemed just as confused as everyone else.

Grinning, the new arrival pulled one of Ava's bras out from behind his back.


	3. Chapter Two - What Did You Do!

_This is a work of fanfiction. All characters (except Emerald) belong to Aphmau._

_Please don't sue me._

_*Contains one mid-level cuss word. Shield your eyes, children!*_

* * *

"Ava, what the _hell_ happened?!" Emerald whispered fiercely over her shoulder. "All you had to do was take out the trash and not be late to that interview! Where did these guys come from?!"

"I don't know! I found them all in the alley by the dumpster then they grabbed me and hung me in a tree and I missed my interview and then they came back and the red one set the tree on fire and then I tried to pull off his horns, only the horns didn't come off and then I passed out and woke up here and then you came out with a baseball bat and now we're stuck here and -"

"Okay, okay, I get it!" Emerald sighed. She knew if Ava started panicking, they'd never get out of here in one piece. "Look, just calm down. I'll find a way to get you out. It looks like they're fascinated by your bra... if you throw that pan, I'll cover you while you make a break for the door."

"What about you?!"

"Hey, I've got a bat. I'll be fine." Emerald nodded towards the white-haired man. "Do you think if I smack him a bit, we could both make it?" She grinned, despite how nervous she felt. "They all seem pretty distracted. We'd have more than enough of a window to get to the stairs."

"I mean...if you're sure..."

"Trust me. Just let me hit the green one before you take off." She lowered her voice further, readying the bat in her hand. "On three. One...Two...THREE!"

At the signal, Ava chucked the frying pan as hard as she could into the group. As it happened, she landed a decent hit right on the red one's face. She took off screaming right through the middle, ignoring Emerald's advice to wait until the path was clear.

The older woman didn't have time to be disappointed as she swung the bat towards the green one's ribs. She felt it connect with something, but didn't check as she dropped it and ran after Ava as quickly as she could.

Just as she was about to round the corner, something hard collided with Emerald's back and it hurt. It knocked her down, sending her skidding into the wall near her bedroom. The back of her head bounced off the baseboard, filling her vision with stars and winding her. Her glasses flew off, sliding under the door into the laundry room. She was vaguely aware of Ava screaming her name.

"Run!" Emerald managed to yell out, shaking her head to try and clear her vision as she began to stand back up, trying to ignore the dull pain running through her side. It was then she felt something sharp against her throat.

"Don't. Move." A low, menacing warning was whispered in her ear.

Emerald froze, knowing very well she was completely at her captor's mercy at the moment. If anything, she didn't want to risk them turning their attention to Ava. If she could just keep them distracted -

"Subdue her," came another voice. "We can't risk her attracting the attention of other humans."

There was a flash of green and Emerald felt herself losing consciousness. Just before she went completely under, Ava's scream broke through her daze.

Dammit.

* * *

"Nonononono... "

Ava was gibbering, she knew that. But she also knew she'd just heard Emerald get _smashed_ into the wall hard. As she turned to check, she was shocked to see the light-blue garbed demon right behind her. He swiftly grabbed her, pulling her towards his chest in an iron grip before turning back towards the apartment.

Ava screamed at what she saw.

Emerald appeared to be unconscious, the white-haired demon still holding one of his daggers against her throat. The dark blue demon was nearby, looking her over.

The latter finally noticed Ava watching and spoke to the green one. "Leif, make peace with her. I'll restrain this one."

The one called 'Leif' approached, putting away his weapons and speaking softly. "It's okay, calm down. We're not gonna hurt you."

Not going to hurt her?! Bullshit! Ava saw what they did to Emerald, there was no way they were going to treat her any differently!

She kept screaming.

"Heyheyhey, look at me." He flashed her a smile full of fangs. It was like getting a grin from a shark.

"AHHHHHHAHAHAAAA! HE'S GOT TEETH! AHHHHHH!"

"What did I do?" Leif seemed genuinely confused.

The little orange demon looked impressed. "Wow, never seen someone reject your smile like that."

"She seems to be immune to your charm. Perhaps a cultural misunderstanding." The dark blue one came up, looking vaguely annoyed. "She's going to alert the other Ee-urth residents. Calm her down, now!"

Ava felt a hand clamp over her mouth, the demon behind her shifting his grip to hold her with only his left arm. '_They're going to kill us they're going to kill us THEY'REGOINGTOKILLUS_!'

* * *

Noi clapped his hands. "Haha, good job Pierce!"

"Indeed." Rhys nodded, feeling somewhat relieved. It was bad enough the two human females had attacked them, even worse they had both scored direct hits. The larger female in particular seemed to be a sort of caretaker for the smaller, given how she had tried to buy the latter some time to escape. Who knows what could have happened if Pierce hadn't head-butted her into the wall on his way to capture the little one...

Asch gave an annoyed sigh next to him. "The noise is_ still unbearable_! Ugh!" The Daemos prince formed a small fireball in his right hand. "I'll shut her up!"

"Asch, stop! We need her to trust us, hurting her isn't going to help us..." Rhys trailed off, glancing down at the larger human female. Belatedly, he realized it would be much harder to convince this small human female they meant no harm after what they had done.

Well, at least Pierce and Leif hadn't killed her. She would probably make a full recovery in no time, then they'd all be able to move past this particular unpleasantness.

Confident in his logic, Rhys nodded to himself. "We'll just wait for her to stop, which should be aaaany moment now..."

**_THREE HOURS LATER_**

"Let me try something."

Rhys realized he was vaguely impressed. He didn't think the small human female would be able to sustain this level of resistance. It was becoming painfully obvious she wasn't going to stop on her own. No, the only thing that might calm her down at this point was her companion...which would mean releasing and waking the large human female.

"We've tried nothing, and we're all out of ideas." Asch was coming dangerously close to making a very rash decision.

"I have an idea."

"You couldn't have had one sooner?" Noi whined.

"Silence!" Rhys approached the unconscious human female, waving his hand to dispel the bonds he had summoned earlier. Despite being unbound, she showed no signs of stirring from the cushions. "Leif, awaken her."

The former assassin's hand glowed green for a brief moment, quickly fading.

* * *

Emerald groaned softly, slowly opening her eyes. She had hazy memories of running... something hitting her... Ava screami -

"Ava!" Emerald shot up, instantly regretting her decision as pain exploded behind her eyes and along her side. She curled into herself, taking a few hissing breaths through her teeth.

"Human."

Emerald forced herself to look up where the voice had come from. The dark blue cosplayer from earlier was in front of her, waving his hand to get her attention. She focused on his face, a little concerned with how her ears were ringing, making him sound like he was underwater.

"My apologies for what occurred earlier. We require your assistance in... quieting your companion."

"Ava?" Emerald became aware of muffled screaming from her left. She turned, shocked to see the young woman firmly restrained in the arms of the light-blue cosplayer. "Hey!" She began pushing herself up off the couch. "I don't know what the deal is with you guys, but - "

Emerald stopped short for two reasons. For one, her head was swirling and making everything go sideways.

The other was the very hot ball of fire being held inches from her face, behind which she could see the furious eyes of the white-horned cosplayer. "Watch your tone, human," he snarled, moving closer. "Or I'll burn that attitude right out of you."

"Asch, no!" The first cosplayer shot his hand out, blocking the fireball. "We need her help! Threatening her isn't going to make this any easier."

Emerald let out a short bark of laughter, causing the two men to look at her in shock. "Ava's really been giving you a hard time, huh?" She slowly stood up, feeling the world tilt dangerously again. "Ugh," she groaned, bringing a hand to her side.

"Are you all right?" The dark blue one came up to her right side, carefully taking her arm to support her.

Reluctantly, Emerald accepted his help. "I'll be okay. You guys just rang my bell a bit." She grimaced. "You also might have cracked a rib or two."

She felt him tense up beside her. "I apologize! It was not our intent to harm you!"

"Shh..." Emerald started walking towards where Ava was still panicking. "Not so loud. Bad enough Ava's going berserk..."

Once they were standing in front of Ava, Emerald clapped her hands together once, loudly. "Ava!"

To everyone's surprise, it silenced her instantly.

"That...worked?!" The orange-clad cosplayer was still incredulously reacting to everything around him.

The green one (Leif?) popped up from his position beside the couch. "Why didn't you think to try that sooner?"

"Hey, not my fault...you waited so long to... wake me up." Emerald was gasping, holding her side. Just clapping had jostled her more than she'd been prepared for. She took a careful breath, focusing her eyes on Ava. "Ava, let them talk. No more screaming..." she trailed off, her next word barely more than a whisper. "..._please_..."

Ava nodded once, her eyes fixed on the older woman.

Emerald's living crutch nodded back. "Good. All right, Pierce. Let her go."

* * *

"H-heh heh. Heh-heh-heh.. Oh... one, one second." Ava helped Emerald up from her position leaning against the coffee table. "You come with me. Important girl talk time."

Emerald offered no objection as Ava led her down the hallway. She wobbled slightly, the smaller woman's stature apparently making it hard for her to keep her balance.

"Why is she going to the death room?" Leif sounded worried.

"Perhaps...to make communication." Rhys seemed confused. "Or perhaps to attend to the large human female's wounds."

"B-b-bu-but what if they alert - ?!"

"Patience, Noi." Rhys silenced the young Daemos. "We need to give them trust before we can earn it ourselves. Especially after what happened earlier." He turned to Pierce. "Was it necessary to hit her into the wall like that?"

To his credit, Pierce looked apologetic. "It was not my intention to harm her."

* * *

Ava carefully helped Emerald sit down on the bathmat near the tub, then went over and splashed her own face with cold water.

"Th-this is a dream, right? This is some kind of sexy dream I'm having right now that just is stupidly weird and informative."

"If that's the case...I wish you would've left me out of it." Emerald rested her head back against the side of the bathtub, closing her eyes.

"Hey, no sleeping." Ava retrieved the hand towel next to the sink. After wetting half of it, she knelt by Emerald's side and put the damp cloth on the older woman's forehead. "What hurts?"

"You mean besides my sense of self-worth?"

"Em, this is serious. You probably have a concussion." Ava paused. "How're your ribs?"

Emerald groaned as she lifted up the edges of her shirt. "You tell me. I can't look down right now without feeling like I'm gonna keel over."

Ava let out a soft gasp.

"That bad, huh?"

"They're pretty bruised up, but it doesn't look like anything's poking out weird." Ava gently ghosted her fingers over where the bruising seemed a little heavier. "Doesn't feel like anything's broken."

Emerald hissed out a groan. "... fantastic..."

"Sorry!" Ava carefully lowered Emerald's shirt again. "Just... try to relax. I'll think of something." She turned away, muttering softly to herself. "Okayokayokay. Think smart, Ava. We are outnumbered here." She patted down her pockets. "... aand my phone has gone off somewhere. Those guys probably took it. Wait!" She turned back to Emerald. "Your phone! We can use your phone to -"

"... in my room." She cracked one eye open. "It's probably dead by now, though. It wasn't plugged in when your new 'friends' came to visit."

Ava let out a curse under her breath, getting up to pace. "Okay, so... there's no way they're actual real demons, right? Yeah! They're probably just some optical illusion on us or something. Maybe on drones...? Wait... I've got it!" She knelt back down by Emerald. "What if we just ditched them?"

"... and how do you plan on doing that?"

"By luring them outside. Honestly, they seem kind of dumb. If I can convince them to follow me to a place where there's lots of people, maybe even some cops, then - "

"Won't that make them mad?"

"Probably."

"I don't think I can take another hit like before." Emerald began to stand up, the towel falling from her forehead. "But, if you're sure..."

"Whoa!" Ava carefully grabbed her arm, helping the woman sit on the edge of the bathtub. "You're staying right here: you can barely stand up! There's no way you'll be able to walk all the way to City Hall."

"I can't let you go alone!" Emerald tried to stand again, but her legs wouldn't cooperate. She leaned heavily on Ava's shoulder, waiting for the world to stop spinning. "Ava, please... don't do this. It's not... safe."

"It'll be fine. I don't think they're dumb enough to do anything super obvious out in public. Especially if I can get them near a cop or two." Ava helped Emerald back down to the floor. "The sooner I get them out of here, the sooner we can get you to an emergency room." She smiled, trying to lighten the mood. "And hey, I can probably get one of them to carry you over to the couch so you'll be more comfortable."

"That's... not really what I'm... worried about, though..."

"Trust me. Everything will be okay." Ava spun around and marched to the door, opening it to reveal all five demons standing there in a semi-circle. "Okay. I can help you guys."

"You can?" The dark-blue one (was his name Rhys?) seemed hopeful.

"I can! In fact, I know the _perfect_ people who can help you!"

"Other...humans?" The one called Pierce sounded apprehensive.

"Should we trust this?!" Leif gave Rhys a disbelieving look.

"Anything to help us is greatly appreciated," the latter answered.

"Under one condition: first, you have to get my friend over to the couch."

"Ca-ouch?"

"The cushion-y thing you had her lying on earlier, before she woke up. You guys hit her pretty hard and she can't make it back over by herself."

Asch snorted angrily. "Who do you think you are giving orders t-"

"Okay." Pierce entered the bathroom, emerging soon with Emerald aloft bridal-style in his arms. He had his hands positioned in such a way as to not further aggravate her damaged ribs, Emerald leaning her head into the crook of his neck as another wave of dizziness hit her.

Ava led him to the couch, supervising as he gently laid the larger woman down. She bent in close to whisper in her ear. "Don't worry. I'll ditch them in no time and be back before you know it."

"... don't... go..." Emerald pawed weakly at Ava's arm.

"Shhh. Just get some rest. I've got this." Standing, she turned to Pierce. "Okay. Let's go back to the others and get you guys taken care of."

* * *

"**_Emerald_**!"

The woman in question slowly opened her eyes, wondering where that annoying sound was coming from. She found herself propped up against the bookcase near the front door. How did she get here? It definitely wasn't very comfortable...

Ava's worried face came into focus. "Please don't be dead please don't be dead," came an urgent muttering, almost like a mantra.

Emerald grunted. "... not dead... Ava."

"Good."

The older woman froze as she heard another voice that _definitely_ wasn't one she wanted to hear. "Plan didn't... work out?" she whispered to Ava.

Ava sighed. "Not exactly, no." Her face grew serious again. "What happened to you? You were resting on the couch when we left. How'd you get all the way over here?!"

"Got worried." Emerald began trying to stand up. "Tried to... follow you. Didn't get very... far..." Her arms gave out and she fell back towards the bookcase...

...only for a strong hand to catch her gently behind her back, cushioning the blow. Turning slightly, she was surprised to see the dark blue cosplayer next to her.

"My deepest apologies," he stated sincerely, helping her to stand. "We will help you get settled, then see to your injuries. Pierce, if you would - "

"Okay." The one called Pierce lifted her in his arms again, carrying her in the same manner he had before.

"A-ava?" Emerald was starting to feel a bit overwhelmed by the sudden focus.

Luckily, Ava caught on quickly. "Her room is this way. Follow me." She led the way, pushing open the door and flicking the lights on in one fluid movement.

Emerald's room wasn't a place anyone entered except for her. It stood out from the rest of the apartment simply by how neat it was. The walls were painted a light khaki, powder-blue curtains framing the window and a matching shaggy carpet covering the floor. The bed was smaller than the one in Ava's room, covered by a fluffy sapphire-blue comforter over white sheets. The walls were bare, except for a few framed certificates near Emerald's work desk.

As he carried her to the bed, Pierce looked at her seriously. "I wish to apologize for causing you injury. It was not my intention to hurt, merely stun."

"That... was you?" Emerald huffed out a careful laugh. "For what it's worth... apology accepted."

Ava motioned to the bed. "Right here. Carefully," she warned.

With a gentleness not at all in keeping with his size, Pierce successfully lowered Emerald onto her mattress. She gave him a careful nod, then looked at Ava. "... think you could give me a little privacy? I need to get changed..."

Ava nodded, turning to Pierce. "Okay, out with you. No peeking!"

"But - "

"Nope! I'll let you know when she's done." She finished ushering him out the door, closing it behind him.

* * *

It took longer than it usually did, but Emerald eventually managed to change into her pajamas. Ava led her back to the bed, helping her sit down again but still accidentally jostling her a little bit. "Sorry!"

"It's...fine," Emerald assured her, grunting as she laid back against her pillow. Her head was spinning and her ribs were on fire, but she didn't think anything was flat-out broken. "Not every day... I get head-butted into a wall... by a hot guy..."

Ava rolled her eyes. "Now I know you're loopy. You'd never say that if you weren't concussed."

"Hey... I can appresh- appr- _enjoy_ a nice set of... arms."

"Try to get some rest. I'll make sure they don't bother you."

"I'm... sorry," Emerald whispered softly.

"What?"

"I'm sorry I... couldn't keep you... safe."

"Stop it. None of this is your fault. I'm pretty sure my parents didn't think we'd have a group of weird demon guys breaking into the apartment and taking us hostage."

"They are... pretty weird." Emerald paused. "You think they're... real?"

"You mean, do I think there are currently five hot guys in the apartment acting out some sort of crazy game only they understand and we have no choice but to play along with it and hope they don't kill us both in our sleep?"

"No. I mean... what they said. About their world... and the monster and stuff..."

Before Ava could answer, Leif strolled through the door.

* * *

"Hey, I'm supposed to make the big one less hurty."

It seemed to take the larger human female a while to process what he meant. "You're going to... fix me? After I smacked you with a bat?"

"Trust me, if Rhys hadn't told me to I wouldn't be here at all." He gave his signature grin. "If it was up to me, I'd have killed you when you were lying on the floor after Pierce smashed into you."

"...yeah, that's fair," she murmured. "Sorry about, you know... hitting you. Are you okay?"

"What?!" The little human female stared at her companion incredulously.

"Really?!" Leif found himself stunned.

"Are. You. Okay?" The big one closed her eyes. "Sorry if I'm... not being clear. My head... hurts..."

Leif slid his expression back to neutral. "I can take care of that." He approached quickly, holding his hand out and placing it on her forehead. As he focused his magic, he made a cursory investigation of the rest of her. '_Definitely a couple cracked ribs. Surprised she managed to get as far as she did_.'

His hand glowed bright green as he directed his attention towards her head and chest. As he let his magic do its work, Leif slipped a little sedation in with the healing. '_Last thing we need is her causing any more problems for us tonight. She seems the more threatening of the two_.'

When Leif opened his eyes, he was surprised to see the larger human female's eyes still open, albeit barely.

"Em? Are you okay?" The little human female came in close to her companion.

"...yeah... gonna' sleep... now..." Her eyes closed completely and she went limp.

* * *

After covering Emerald with a blanket from the foot of her bed, Ava closed the door and rejoined all the guys in the hallway, Leif by her side. "So you guys really are demons."

"Daemos!" Rhys shouted, exasperated.

"Whatever. So... you guys have nowhere to stay?"

"Nope." The pink-haired one shook his head. "We don't have a home here on Ee-urf."

Ava sighed, resigned. "Fine. You guys can crash here tonight."

"Huh, we weren't going to take 'no' for an answer." The one with the furry shoulder smirked. "You are our prisoner, and you will do as I command."

"Yeah yeah, whatever. You need to get your manners in check."

"Huh?!"

"Look, I'm just... tired from all of this, especially after what happened to Em. So you guys make yourself at home, and don't steal anything. Blankets are in the closet and don't come into my room or Em's room! Okay? Okay."

With that, Ava went into her room and slammed the door. After a moment, she opened it up again. "But I swear to God, if I end up murdered, in the morning I'm coming back to haunt all of you forever!"


	4. Chapter Three - Settling In

_This is a work of fanfiction. All characters (except Emerald) belong to Aphmau._

_Please don't sue me._

* * *

Emerald was awoken by the sound of the toilet in her bathroom flushing.

Repeatedly.

Giving a soft grunt, the woman pushed herself up onto her elbows. She was pleasantly surprised to find her head clear and her ribs didn't hurt as much as before, reduced to only a vague ache.

The toilet flushing again brought her attention back to what had originally awakened her. Thoroughly grumpy, Emerald got out of bed and opened her door. It was still early in the morning, given how dark everything was. It made the sliver of light from under her bathroom door easier to see.

'_Why would Ava be using my bathroom_?' she wondered. Nearby, she was surprised to see her baseball bat from earlier sitting on the couch. She grabbed it, then went over to the laundry room to retrieve her glasses from where they'd been knocked off her face. Finally feeling put back together, she knocked on the door. After a moment, the dark blue cosplayer (she was fairly certain his name was Rhys) opened it.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"I didn't mean to - "

"Just... get out and go to sleep. I need to use the bathroom." Emerald gently pushed her way past him, propping the bat next to the toilet as she turned around. She stopped, her hands midway to the edge of her pajama pants. "Uh...what're you doing?"

"I want to observe how you mix potions." His face was adorably eager, eyes fairly lit up with curiosity.

"Oh my God, you don't know what a toilet is, do you?"

"A toy-lot..." Rhys stumbled over the word.

Emerald got a sudden, wicked idea. She retrieved the bat, raising it menacingly in her hand. "Leave, before I unleash my powers upon you!"

"W-wait! I didn't mean any disrespect!"

"Too late." Emerald reached back and flushed the toilet as she twirled the bat once. That was all it took. Rhys raced out the door, slamming it shut behind him. "Just so you know," she called out, "humans enjoy their privacy in this room. Spell mixing can be very difficult."

"Y-yes. *ahem* Apologies."

* * *

When Emerald woke up again, the sun was barely beginning to peak over the tops of the city buildings. She stretched, reaching over to check the time on her phone only to discover she never actually plugged it in last night.

'_Well, that's a kick in the pants_,' she thought, sitting up as she plugged it in. '_Good thing I'm not going anywhere today..._'

Emerald heard a door slam open from inside the apartment, the events of yesterday and last night rushing back to her suddenly. "That's right," she muttered. "_They're_ still here." Realization slowly dawned as she realized they were closer to Ava's room than she was. She flung herself from the bed, ripping open her door and rushing quietly towards the living room on bare feet.

"_Don't wake her up. The larger female human tried to kill me last night!_" she heard Rhys whisper fiercely.

"_And I'll do it again if you don't get out of this room right now,_" Emerald growled softly, coming up next to him in Ava's doorway.

Rhys froze, not daring to turn around. As he stood there, Noi came in, yawning sleepily. "Hey, have you guys seen one of my daggers around? It's missing."

"Quiet Noi, or you'll wake her!" Rhys was louder than he wanted to be, but both the human and the young Daemos had rattled his nerves.

From the bed, Ava let out a sleepy groan.

"_G-good job, Rhys! She's going to kill us!_" Noi was panicking.

"_You said she seemed kind_," Rhys shot back quietly.

"_But she told us not to come in here_!"

Asch retreated from Ava's bedside, looking worried. "S-she's going to wake - "

Ava groaned again, stirring slightly. Faster than anyone could see, Pierce was at her side gently patting her head. Soon enough, she fell back to sleep.

Emerald let out a relieved sigh along with the other guys. "_All of you, get out now_," she whispered forcefully, shooing them out as she followed, closing the door behind her. "Look, I don't know what you all think you were doing in there, but listen to me very carefully: Do. Not. Go. Into. Ava's. Room." She gave them all a severe look. "Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes," Rhys was quick to answer for all of them. "Our apologies."

"Good. Now, if you're all done creeping on my friend, I'm going to get dressed."

* * *

"For now, things are going according to plan. The female humans will teach us how to be humans so we can learn their weaknesses. Then, once we know how they work, we will bring the strongest back to Daemos to extract their magic," Asch finished confidently. His knights seemed to have a firm grasp of his plan.

"Heh heh, that's a good plan." Noi, eager as always, was quick to agree.

"An impressive strategy," Pierce nodded.

"See, he had a plan all along," Leif purred, giving Rhys a confident look.

"All right, then. What is the next course of action?"

"We kill no humans: we begin blending in. Leif, wake the prisoner up," Asch ordered.

"With pleasure." Leif went back towards the small human female's room.

The Daemos prince turned back to the others. "We need to begin assimilating ourselves with the humans immediately."

"It's possible we might be able to play the two humans off of one another," Rhys added thoughtfully. "The larger one in particular seems protective of the smaller, given the events that took place yesterday."

"Do you think she will obey if we threaten the small one?"

"No, that will only prompt her to attack us again. She seems reasonably intelligent. I'm sure if we approach this logically and calmly, we will be able to convince them both to assist us. We definitely took a step in the right direction by tending to her wounds last night: she appears to be fully recovered and in a somewhat cooperative mood."

"Who's is a cooperative mood now?" came a voice from behind them. Startled, the Daemos spun around to see the large female human coming towards them. She was clad in pants similar to the ones she wore yesterday, as well as a tunic which apeared to have some sort of monster depicted, surrounded by Ee-urth inscriptions. A talisman of two silver rings hung from a chain on her neck, the strange mask she had been wearing yesterday back upon her face. She was not wearing anything upon her feet.

Before anyone could answer, a scream erupted from behind the small human's bedroom door. "Nooooo, I was just kidding!"

Asch's response was immediate. "Leif! What did I just say?!"

The large human's response was equally immediate. "WHAT THE FU - "

* * *

After putting a few dollars in the Swear Pig and (reluctantly) tossing a slice of pizza into Johnny's cat bowl, Emerald and Ava joined the Daemos in the living room.

"Assimilate?" the former asked.

"Yes," Rhys confirmed. "Prince Asch would - "

"Hahahahahahahaha!" Ava burst out.

"She mocks us?!" Leif stared at her, confused.

"Nonono, it's just... you said ass - "

"Ava!" Emerald sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose under her glasses. "This really isn't the time for that."

"Asch, perhaps you can explain." Rhys sounded just as exasperated as she felt.

"Ugh, fine." Turning to Ava, Asch crouched down to look her in the eye. "Teach us your human ways. Now."

"Asking like that isn't going to - "

"If we do that, will you guys leave?" Emerald interrupted, arms folded over her chest.

"Faster than you can imagine," the Daemos prince responded.

"Really?"

"Really."

"Really really?"

"Really."

"Really."

"Really!"

"Really."

"Really?!"

"Silence!" Asch roared, not appreciating the game any longer.

"Killjoy," Ava sulked.

"Look," Emerald cut in, hoping to stave off another round, "when I woke up, I was kind of hoping you guys would've robbed us and left by now. I wasn't expecting you guys to stay."

Leif cocked an eyebrow. "Why would you hope for that?"

"Because losing a few hundred dollars isn't worth dealing with the stress of - ...nevermind." She cut herself off, shaking her head before looking around at them. "Y'all really about this human thing, huh?"

"Assimilate us, _now_," Asch growled.

Ava sighed. "A sorceress, like myself... it'll be hard to teach you the ways. But..."

Noi was beaming. "Sorceress!"

"First off, I must use my magic power to conjure you up some... human clothing."

"Is what we are wearing right now not suitable?" Rhys gave her a hard look.

"Uh... y-yeah. That's because I casted a spell that, uh, attracted other demons from around the world to one place. It's called... a Convention Spell."

"A summoner?" Pierce somehow managed to sound both confused and disbelieving at the same time.

Leif, on the other hand, seemed worried. "She can conjure demons?!"

"Whoaaaa!" As always, Noi was impressed.

"Enough talk!" Asch cut in with annoyance. "Where are these clothes?"

"Um... r-right!" Ava cleared her throat. "Well, first off..."

"We'll be right back," Emerald interrupted, grabbing Ava by the arm and leading her down the hallway. "_Ava, what in the unholy __**hell**__ do you think you're doing?!_" she whispered fiercely once they were around the corner.

"_Look, for whatever reason, they think I'm some sort of magicky, spell-caster, person_," she whispered back. "_We need to play along so they don't figure out we can't help them!_"

"_This really isn't a good idea... how long do you think we have until they figure it out?_"

"_If we don't give anything away, as long as possible._"

Emerald sighed, resigned. "_You know this isn't sustainable. Sooner or later, one of us is going to slip up_."

"_Well then, let's try not to let that happen on the __**very first day of being held hostage**_!"

* * *

Both women soon returned, Ava carrying the Swear Pig. "This here is - "

Faster than anyone could react, Asch snatched the pig out of her grasp. "Your magic is mine!"

"What the -?! Give me back my damn swear jar!"

"Pierce, smash it," he called out, tossing it to the tallest Daemos. He caught it easily, setting it on the coffee table and driving his fist down through the pig's back.

"Well, fu - " Emerald began.

"Forgive us," Rhys interrupted.

"It's alright," Ava responded, bending over to examine the contents of the smashed porcelain porcine. "It's a small sacrifice to make as long as you guys leave as soon as possible. Whoa, we had $150 bucks in this thing? Hell yeah! Wait...does that count?"

Emerald tossed a few more dollars into the pile. "$155 now."

Ava gathered up the money, then faced the Daemos. "Come! I'm going to take you to a very sacred place to us humans." She turned to leave. "Why am I playing along with this? This is the stupidest thing I've ever done!" she muttered under her breath.

"Rhys. Leif. You two stay back and make these living accommodations more suitable for us," the Daemos prince ordered.

"Yes." Ryhs nodded solemnly.

"What?! Why me?" Leif objected.

"Because you went against what I said earlier," Asch hissed through gritted teeth.

"Hey, I was just kinda, sorta, playing around, okay?!"

"Stay. Rhys, you know what to do."

"Of course."

"B-but...urgh!"

* * *

"So, what exactly did your prince mean by 'making these living accommodations more suitable'?" Emerald sat down on the couch, giving the remaining two Daemos a pointed look as she crossed her legs. "Because if it involves knocking down walls or any sort of construction, I'm gonna have to veto this idea right now."

"Con-struc-ton?" Rhys tripped over the unfamiliar word.

"It means to physically knock down walls, build new walls, things like that." She tilted her head slightly. "You really don't know that word, do you?"

"It is not something we would say on Daemos, no." He scanned the living room, stopping when his eyes landed on the wall adjacent to Ava's bedroom. "This location should suffice."

Emerald watched as he began to trace sigils in the air, leaving glowing signs on the wall that swiftly faded. '_So, I guess that settles that. These guys really are magic demons. Daemos_,' she corrected herself. '_Still, something about their story doesn't feel right..._'

Leif appeared by her side suddenly, although Emerald couldn't recall seeing him move. "You better not be plotting anything, human," he sneered at her, twirling a dagger in his right hand. "Truce or not, I'm sure I could find an excuse to take you down."

She met his eyes calmly. "You know, I find the people who make the loudest threats are usually the ones who are the most unsure of themselves."

"Bu - wha?" Her attitude had caught him completely off-guard.

"Look, I really am sorry about smacking you with the bat yesterday. And while I do appreciate you fixing me up, that doesn't mean I'm just going to roll over and let you guys order me around in my own home." Emerald held his gaze. "Tell you what: you cool it with the death threats, and I'll take you out running with me on Monday morning. Deal?"

"What's... Mon-day?"

"Two days from now."

"I, uh..."

"I would like to accompany you as well," Rhys spoke up. He had completed his ritual, although the wall looked exactly the same as before.

Emerald gave a little laugh. "Sure, why not. We can form a running club. Maybe the other three will want to come along as well?"

"We can discuss it when they come back." Rhys motioned to Leif. "Come: I'll need your assistance for this next part."

* * *

Ava came into the living room, followed by the three Daemos. "Okay, it doesn't look like anything's missing, which is kind of disappointing because then I could have called the cops with a _good_ reason instead of a crazy one." She looked around. "And, speaking of which... where are they?"

At that moment, Rhys and Emerald popped out of the wall next to the fireplace. "Prince Asch, this way," said the former before returning back through.

Noi gasped in excitement. "They set it up!"

Asch nodded. "Good."

One by one, the remaining Daemos walked straight into the wall without a trace.

"Hold up, _what_?!" Ava was incredulous.

"Ava, come on!" Emerald was surprisingly animated as she grabbed the younger woman by the hand. "You _have_ to see this!" She dragged them both through.

The two human women came out on the other side just as Leif was beginning to speak. "What do you guys think? Rhys bound the room to the wall here. That way we feel more at home."

Rhys nodded. "It took a bit of my magic, so I must use the rest wisely."

"It's perfect." Asch seemed satisfied.

"This is... really happening!" Ava stuttered, her head beginning to swim. "This is... uh..."

"Ava!" Emerald called out, catching the young woman before she could fall and hit her head on the floor.

"Oh no, not again," Rhys sighed.

"_Again_?!"

* * *

Ava soon awoke with a gasp, jolting upright from her position on the bench. "This... isn't a dream... still..."

"Nope." Emerald was sitting next to her, infuriatingly nonchalant about the entire situation. "I would have thought that'd be obvious by now." She grinned. "There's no way you'd have me here if this was."

"Here, maybe this'll help you." Pierce knelt down in front of Ava, producing a box of Munchie~Scrunchies.

That definitely caught her attention. "What the - where did you get this?!"

"I... took it."

"Without paying?!"

"Pay-ing?"

Ava sighed heavily. "Okay... I'm good. I'm good for today. You guys got to learn about the mall, I got to pretend to be a magic wizard-y sorcerer, and you guys stole stuff! Cool! I'm just gonna go return these, then, uh..." She trailed off, taking the box of cereal.

Emerald stood up, putting an arm around her shoulder. "For now, just give us some time to decide what we want to do next. Like, leave us alone for a day or something. Just to clear our minds. Bye!"

With that, she led Ava back through the portal to the apartment.

* * *

The Daemos stared after them in stunned silence.

"What happened?" Leif was the first to speak.

"Nothing, that's what!" Asch was incredulous. "She said she - "

"Patience, your Majesty," Rhys interrupted. "Trust them for now. They might be our only way to learn more about the humans." His eyes lit up. "Now, let me tell you about the arrangement we came to with the larger human female!"

* * *

Emerald leaned against the kitchen island while Ava opened the can of Yum Yums and poured some into Johnny's bowl. "So... Pierce stole Munchie~Scrunchies for you."

"Yep."

"Because you couldn't afford it."

"Yep."

"And you said you were going to return it."

"Yep."

"Which means you're going to sit there and eat it."

"Yep."

"...pass me a bowl?"

Ava snorted, giving a little smile. "Here."


	5. Chapter Four - Clothes & Illegal Entry

_This is a work of fanfiction. All characters (except Emerald) belong to Aphmau / Jessica Bravura._

_Cover Art belongs to Aphmau / Jessica Bravura._

_Please don't sue me._

* * *

Emerald closed her eyes as the hot water from the shower ran over her back. This morning had been... difficult. Between Leif and Rhys coming along on her run and asking _so many questions_, to coming back home only to realize there was only dry cereal left to eat in the pantry, it was not shaping up to be a very productive Monday.

Still, there was work to do. And she was nothing if not responsible.

Sighing, Emerald opened her eyes and started lathering up her hair. She'd put her shower off a lot longer than she normally would, wanting to make sure Ava was awake first. She'd used the time to try cleaning up some of the mess in the living room, a task made somewhat more difficult by the Daemos coming and going.

She eventually managed to distract them by giving them the clothes Ava had bought the other day and telling them to try figuring it out by themselves. It was a task she didn't think they were taking very seriously, only because (for whatever reason) they seemed more inclined to listen to Ava over her.

'_God, it's like we're their paren_ \- ' Emerald cut off the thought, putting a hand over her mouth. No, now was definitely not the time to be thinking about that. Shaking her head to clear it, she rinsed the shampoo out of her hair and got the conditioner set.

As she turned to get her loofah, Emerald got the distinct feeling of being watched. She slowly peeked around the shower curtain, not feeling any better when she saw the bathroom door was still firmly closed and locked. She checked to make sure the baseball bat was still leaning within easy reach against the side of the bathtub before closing the curtain.

Leif was half-leaning out of the wall in her shower. "Whaaat are you doing?" the Daemos asked, one eye cocked in confusion as he openly looked her over.

Her reaction was immediate. "WHAT THE FU - ?!"

"What's that?" he interrupted, pointing at a horizontal scar on her lower abdomen.

"None of your business!" Emerald grabbed the bat, not caring about the water she was spilling on the floor. She hefted it in her hand, turning to hide herself as best she could. "GET OUT!" she screamed, swinging at him.

* * *

Ava sank further into the bath, closing her eyes as she tilted her head back. She vaguely wondered if Emerald was having any trouble getting back on track with her work after the disaster that had been this weekend.

"I'm sure she'll be fine as long as she got to go on her run this morning," she assured herself. "She can get pretty grumpy if her schedule gets too far off."

Johnny gave an agreeable-sounding mew.

Ava thought she heard Emerald yelling, but brushed it off. The Daemos had been hassling her all morning: she'd probably just lost her temper with one of them. Still, it was a little weird for her to do that. Sometimes it seemed the older woman had the patience of a saint...

"Ugh, you too? What are you doin'?" came a voice from nearby.

"Relaxing. What does it look like?"

"What does that do?"

Ava chuckled. "What do you mean, I - ARGH!"

Leif was hanging half out of the wall above her, staring down. "I'm trying to figure out why you're doing this. The larger female human tried to attack me while she was standing under running water, so I figured I'd come in here to see if you were doing the same thing."

"Why are you in my wall?!"

To her horror, Asch suddenly appeared half out of the wall next to Leif. "Leif, what are you - wait, what is she doing?"

"I asked the same question! I was gonna go ask the human sorcerer about human clothes since we can't figure 'em out."

"I thought Noi figured it out."

"Yeah, I don't trust Noi. I was going to ask the big human what to do with them, since Rhys would just get all smart with me, but the human was standing under water and tried to hit me with the 'bat' again. So I came to ask this one what to do, but the human is just sitting in water."

"Ugh, disgusting," Asch sneered.

"I'm taking a bath! Do you guys not know what a bath is on whatever planet you're from?!" Ava was trying to cover herself with her arms. "Also, I have a name too, you know!"

"Planet?"

Asch narrowed his eyes. "I'm not sure what you meant, but it sounded like an insult!"

* * *

Emerald came charging out of her bathroom, barely making sure the towel around her body was secure as she ran towards Ava's room. She wielded the bat in her left hand, holding the towel closed with her right.

As she skidded into Ava's bathroom, Emerald saw all five Daemos were assembled around the bathtub. She heard the young woman arguing with the "prince," something about idle threats.

Asch summoned a fireball in his hand, approaching the bathtub. "How _dare_ you! I'll - "

Ava reacted faster than Emerald could, splashing some of her bathwater at the Daemos and extinguishing the flames.

The effect was instantaneous.

For once, Rhys sounded genuinely afraid. "She knows disarming magic!"

"Aaaa! RUN!" Noi screamed in panic.

All five Daemos scattered like cockroaches after turning on the kitchen light. Emerald gave a deep sigh, closing her eyes. "Are you okay?"

"I'll be okay when everyone just gets out and lets me bathe in peace!"

The older woman somehow managed to give her a hard look without opening her eyes. "Don't start with me. I really thought they were going to hurt you." She turned away. "Just... hurry up. I think we need to have a little discussion with our roommates about personal space."

* * *

"Okay, if we're going to be your prisoners, we need to lay down some ground rules," Emerald announced angrily. She and Ava were still wrapped in their towels, her own bat leaning against the doorway to Ava's room.

"As prisoners, you don't get to _make_ rules," Asch growled back.

"Who's the powerful sorcerer?" Ava interrupted. "That's right: me."

"Sorceress," Pierce corrected.

"Wait, does that mean the larger female human does not have access to magic?" Rhys cut in, confused.

"Why do you think I have that bat nearby?" Emerald glared at them each in turn. "I... gave my magic to her a long time ago, so she can defend herself." The lie felt wrong on her lips, but she knew it was the only thing protecting them at the moment.

"Is that how you got that scar on your stomach?" Leif stared at her, his eyes sparkling with thoughts of bloodshed. "Was it in a battle -"

"A-anyway, we're getting off track!" Emerald interrupted, flustered. "Why are you guys coming through our walls?"

"Once our home is linked to a surface, we can enter from any place at will in close proximity."

"So... you guys can come in anywhere in our apartment, at any time?" Emerald definitely did _not_ like the sound of that.

"He _literally_ just said that." Leif gave her a condescending look.

"Alright: I can fix that, then." Ava disappeared into her room, soon emerging carrying a large red crayon. She marched over to where she had first seen the Daemos enter and emerge from their separate space. "This is my magic spell wand called Cray-o-la. Once I mark this door, you are bound to only use this spot to enter and exit. If you don't use _this spot_, you'll _die_."

Emerald barely managed to stifle a giggle as the Daemos began loudly voicing their displeasure, covering the sound with a cough. True, she wasn't happy about Ava drawing all over her wall, but the guys seemed to be buying the lie completely.

"You can't do that!" Rhys seemed outright offended.

"I. Just. Did." Ava took a quick breath, calming down. "Now the next thing: stop calling us 'Human Sorcerer' or 'Large Female Human' or 'Prisoner', okay? We have names."

"Ava." Pierce met her gaze calmly, then turned to Emerald. "Em. Or Emerald."

"Ho - how did you...?"

"You two have been calling each other those since we arrived."

Ava started to speak, but Noi interrupted her. "Do you know our names?"

"I... uh, I know that..."

Emerald sighed, coming to Ava's rescue. "Rhys. Leif. Noi. Pierce. Asch." She pointed to each Daemos in turn as she identified them.

"Now that that's out of the way, we need to talk about personal space - " Ava was cut off by the sound of the doorbell ringing. " - right after we answer the door."

"In the meantime, you guys put these clothes on." Emerald followed Ava towards the front door. "Can you get the door? I need to get dressed and get started on my work."

Noi pleaded. "But, we're not sure how - "

"You guys are smart. I'm sure you'll manage to figure it out."

"If you are getting dressed, would it be possible to observe how you do it?" Rhys asked in a suspiciously-nochalant manner.

"Absolutely not." Emerald paused for a moment. "Surely a clever Daemos such as yourself can solve a simple puzzle like human clothing?"

He rose to the bait instantly, a gleam in his eye. Satisfied, she continued into her room as Ava went to get the front door.

"Oh, Mrs. Oates!"

"Oh Ava, I've been so worried about you and Emmy."

"Wh-what do you mean?"

"I heard you screaming and yelling all weekend! I was especially worried when I heard you screaming for three hours straight."

"Wh-why didn't you call the cops, then?"

"Oh. That might have been a good idea."

"Mrs. Oates... what if I was, like... dying?"

"Oh, I'm sorry dear. My memory goes when I don't have notes on my fridge. I'll be sure to make a note for next time. But I'm glad you're all right." She smiled disarmingly. "Besides, I was certain it wasn't serious, since you live with Emmy. She always has everything under control."

"Heh, yeah. She usually does."

"Oh, speaking of Emmy, do you think you could have her take this present to my grandson down the street today? She always delivers things on time for me, and I appreciate it so much."

"Heh, yeah, I can make sure she gets it." Ava stepped forward and accepted the gift in one hand before retreating back through the doorway.

"Oh, thank you so much, Ava." The older woman pressed a few dollars into Ava's free hand. "And here: the usual payment since you two are so sweet. Now, what were you screaming about? I - *gasp*"

Rhys was knocking on Emerald's door. "Emerald, look! I figured out how to put clothes on!"

"No one saw him do it and he won't tell us," Pierce grumbled sulkily by his side.

"That's because it's a test from her, and I passed!"

"Go away!" Emerald could be heard yelling through the door. "You guys have been more than enough of a distraction for now, and I just want to get dressed in peace!"

'_Oh my God, I can't believe they just said that_!' "S-s-s-s-so..." Ava stuttered, turning back to Mrs. Oates...

... only to see the old woman winking slyly at her. "Oooooo! I see what's going on."

"Please, it's not what you think..."

"Pah, I was young once, too. I'm glad to see you two are in good hands. Especially Emmy." Mrs. Oates got an oddly serious expression on her face. "If anyone deserves to have a bit of kindness, it's that girl."

"Oh my God, you have the wrong idea."

As if enacting some sort of sitcom scenario, Asch chose that moment to come around the corner. "Prisoner, get over here now!"

If possible, Mrs. Oates' eyes grew wider. "Oh my!"

" , sorry!" Blushing furiously, Ava slammed the doors shut.

"I was pretty wild back in my day as well!" Mrs. Oates called through the closed doors. "No shame if you've got game!"

"Oh God, not sweet little old Mrs. Oates..."

* * *

Emerald came out of her room just in time to hear Ava yell "You guys suck!" '_Great... more fighting_,' she thought tiredly. '_I'm never going to get any work done today_.' Resigned, she began to make her way towards the living room.

"Excuse me?" Asch murmured dangerously.

"You heard me, your _Majesty_!" Ava was furious. "It's bad enough you guys are taking over our home, but now I have to imagine sweet little Mrs. Oates like... ugh. And she thinks we're... ugh!"

Emerald snickered, coming to a stop next to the younger woman. "A wild sex machine?"

"Don't... speak to me like that." If possible, Asch was growing more threatening by the second. Even Johnny began to notice and growled at him.

"Make me stop, then," Ava challenged, closing the distance to the Daemos prince.

He answered by forming a fireball in his hand.

"HEY!" Emerald moved to step in between the two.

"Your Majesty, stop!" Rhys called out in alarm.

Before anyone could do anything, something crashed into Asch's side, knocking him and Ava apart. Emerald caught the younger woman before she hit the floor, steadying her until she found her footing.

Everyone watched as the little ball of condensed darkness slithered its way over to the bench near the wall of Ava's room.

"What is -?!" Leif exclaimed.

Everyone stared in stunned silence as the shadow ball transformed itself into a fluffy cat-like creature with pastel fur. A lavender ruffle with white stars circled its neck, a white crescent moon on its forehead.

"Another spirit?" Pierce questioned.

Emerald looked at it more closely. "That's not a cat I've ever seen."

"Fascinating." Rhys squinted. "This spirit looks more like a spirit on Daemos, while the other looks like a... Ee-urth one."

"Okay, wait. When you say 'spirit', do you mean 'cat' or..."

"A _what_?"

"A cat. So, for example: Johnny's a cat, and this new cat is a cat."

"What? We call them 'spirits' on Daemos. Usually they bind to someone and act as guardians of a sort, but their uses vary."

"Ooooh, so this adorable wittle kitty cat is a guardian?" Ava made little duck faces, while Johnny stared at his mistress in jealousy.

"I'm starting to think there aren't any actual animals on Daemos." Emerald stared at the newcomer as well. "Do you guys have any sort of creatures you eat, or are you guys all vegetarians?"

"Ve-ge... what?"

"Vegetarian. It means you eat plants, and maybe certain animal products, but no actual meat."

Before Rhys could answer, the cat / spirit got up and went over to Asch, sitting down in front of him.

"Does that spirit know Asch?" Noi was making his 'surprised' face again.

"It appears so." Pierce sounded thoughtful.

"I-I-I've never seen this spirit in my life." Asch seemed flustered, blushing as he stared at it.

"It looks like it knows you." Emerald kept glancing between the two of them.

"I said I don't know it!"

"Maybe it's just taken a liking to you. I've never seen this spirit before either." Rhys intervened.

"Must have crossed from our world somehow." Leif looked thoughtful as well. I've seen this kind of spirit before, but they're very rare to come across."

"Then Asch should consider himself lucky." Pierce seemed to be giving Asch a warning.

The Daemos prince continued glaring down at the cat / spirit.

"Be nice!" Ava scolded. "Stop giving that cute kitty a mean look, Asch."

Asch looked at her, stunned. "...you said my name!" He gave a light chuckle. "Never heard a human say my name before..."

"Huh? What does that mean?"

Emerald noticed Rhys look worried all of a sudden. "Uh, um... h-hey!" he stuttered out. "How about since tensions are calm now, you guys go back to figuring out how to put on the human clothes!" Before she could say anything, Ava interrupted.

"Oh right, I almost forgot. Em, Mrs. Oates wanted you to deliver a gift to her grandson today."

The older woman sighed. "Can you do it for me? It's already noon and I haven't even gotten started on any of my work yet. Besides, you need an excuse to get dressed so you don't hang out in your towel all day."

"Can I see how you do it?" Leif called out after her.

Both Ava and Emerald answered at the same time. "No!"

* * *

"Alright, here's what's gonna happen." Emerald looked around at the Daemos. "Rhys, you're going to go with Ava to deliver that present, since you were so good and managed to get your clothes on the fastest."

"R-really?!"

"Not fair." Pierce was sulking again.

"Yeah!" Noi agreed, pouting.

"Stop acting like children!" Asch whirled around on Emerald. "And you! Don't order my men around!"

"You wanna learn more about Earth, right? Then stop fighting us and let us help you guys. Just trust me, we're not going to fight this anymore. We're just... gonna go along with it."

"_Speak for yourself_," Ava whispered next to her.

"_Hey, we wouldn't even be in this situation if you hadn't decided to pretend you have **actual magic**_!" Emerald hissed back. She turned to Rhys. "Now... the horns..."

"What?"

"Humans don't have horns. You're going to have to wear a hat, or... something."

"But... we wore our horns before."

"Yes, but now it looks odd without your world's outfit," Ava piped in. "It really stands out, and if people found out about you guys, you'd be sent to like... Area 51 or something."

"What's that?"

Asch gave a resigned sigh. "We can hide our horns with magic."

Ava was still going on. "If you get sent there, then - Wait... you can?!"

"Yes. We used to hide them when hunting down -"

"Food!" Leif interrupted. "Yes! They would, uh... _glow_ under certain circumstances."

"Wait, that's not - duh!" Noi was cut off as Leif smacked him upside the head. "Oww!"

More alarm bells went off in Emerald's head. '_If they don't know what animals are, then what do they need to hunt down_?'

"Like this: observe." Rhys placed both his hands upon his horns, distracting the older woman from her thoughts. After a small flash of light, the horns had disappeared from view.

Ava was suitably impressed. "Wow!"

"Yes, but only Daemos with magic can do it. Which means..." He trailed off, giving Noi a pointed look.

Noi started tearing up. "I can't."

Emerald focused on him as well. "You don't have magic?"

He whimpered. "I used to, but I used it up to get us here."

"Alright then." Ava didn't seem particularly bothered. "Rhys, we're heading out. You guys: try to figure out how to put your clothes on. We out!"

* * *

Once Ava and Rhys left, Emerald turned back to the remaining Daemos. "Well, you heard what she said. Try to figure out those clothes. I'm going to work in my room." She stopped by the kitchen to grab a glass of water, turning around once she had it to find Noi. "Uh, do you need something?"

"Prince Asch said I am to accompany you and observe your 'work' to make sure you aren't going to alert other humans." He seemed a bit proud of himself.

"I... suppose that's fair." Emerald got an idea. "Okay then. Come with me, Noi."

His eyes practically sparkled. "You said my name!"

She sighed. "Look, if we're going to be living together, we're going to be saying each other's names a lot." She led the way down towards her room. "The sooner you get used to it, the sooner we can all move on. Okay?"

"Okay!"

Emerald let the young Daemos in, closing the door behind him. "Alright, so here's what we're gonna do: I am going to turn on this machine. It's going to make a bit of noise, but I _promise_ you are not in any danger." She pushed the power button on the computer, beginning the start-up process.

"You are going to sit right here." She motioned to a spot on the floor. "You can see what I'm doing, but you won't be in the way. We good so far?"

Noi gave a small nod.

Emerald paused for a moment. "Can you read?"

He looked at her in surprise. "Um... a little bit. Why are you asking?"

She gave him a reassuring look. "I think I have something you might enjoy." A quick trip to the bookshelf near her closet, and she returned carrying several books. "These are called 'comic books.' They're a bunch of made-up stories with both pictures and words. Would you like to look through them while I work?"

Noi's eyes lit up again. "I would like that very much!"

"Good." Emerald gave him the stack, then went and sat down in her desk chair. "Just remember," she reminded him, putting on her headphones, "_quiet_..."

Noi was already staring intently at the page in front of him, moving his lips as he quietly sounded out the words.

Emerald smiled, then turned on her work playlist and got started.

* * *

"**PRISONER**!"

Emerald ripped the headphones off her head as Asch kicked open her door, glaring at the Daemos prince. "What do you think you're doing?" she asked cooly, staring him down.

Asch was not in the mood to be subdued. "I don't know how you did it, but there is a human calling himself the 'Lord of Land' inside right now." He glared at Noi. "You were supposed to be watching her to make sure this didn't happen, Noi!"

Noi had leapt up as soon as Asch burst in, the comics forgotten on the floor around him. "I did! She's been sitting there the whole time!"

"Is this true, huma -" Asch cut himself off, confused by the look on Emerald's face.

"Did you say he called himself the 'Landlord'?"

"Uh..." he was momentarily thrown off by her tone, which was both soft and dangerous. He recovered himself quickly, though. "Yes, I did."

Emerald stood up, pushing her chair back so hard it almost tipped over. "JAKE! WHAT THE _**FUCK**_ ARE YOU DOING IN HERE WITHOUT CALLING ME FIRST?!" As she exited, she was further angered to see the Daemos 'spirit' being chased by Johnny, the two of them knocking things off the shelves as they passed by.

Jake was being pinned against the wall of her room by Leif, who held one of his daggers against the man's throat. "E-emmy!" he called out in relief.

It was relief that quickly turned to panic once Emerald got in his face, nearly pushing Leif out of the way. "_**Never** call me that_," she whispered darkly at him. She was vaguely aware of Ava and Rhys coming through the door, but she was too angry to acknowledge them at the moment.

"B-b-b-b-but... Mrs. Oates -"

"That's different, and you know it." Emerald backed off a bit, looking at the Daemos. "Can one of you explain what's going on?"

"This human came and snuck in," Pierce offered.

"Was this a betrayal?" Asch looked pointedly between Emerald and Ava.

"Noi already told you he was with me the entire time. I've been too busy with work to care about what you guys are doing..." She looked down at a broken figurine of two people dancing. "... unless it involves **destroying everything I own**!"

"I was with Ava the whole time, your Majesty. She did not once call in reinforcements!" Rhys was quick to clear Ava.

"That's right! I -" Ava stopped, getting a good look at the intruder for the first time. "Wait... Jake? How did you get into our apartment?"

"Um, I'm the landlord, so I got worried when Mrs. Oates -"

"Can you guys do something with your magic to make him forget?" Emerald asked tiredly.

"Leave it to me." Leif bonked the back of Jake's head with the butt of his dagger, knocking the man out instantly.

Ava gasped, horrified. "What did you -?"

"He's out," Pierce confirmed.

Noi sighed in relief. "Good job, Leif!"

"Heh, I try."

"Quick, put on your human clothes and get rid of your horns before he wakes up!" Ava was panicking.

"How?" Noi questioned.

"The way you do your Daemos clothes!"

"Really?" Leif stared at her in disbelief. "I thought there'd be more to it than -"

"QUICK! DO IT!"

Three pairs of perfectly-sculpted abs immediately met her eyes as they lifted their shirts, Pierce managing to get his completely off.

"NOT HERE, IDIOTS!"

"Ava, calm down." Emerald patted her shoulder as Leif and Asch pulled their shirts back down. "Just... give me a minute to think."

Jake chose that particular moment to let out a low groan.

"Okay, not a lot of time." Emerald looked around at each Daemos. "Pierce, help me get him to the outside door."

"M-m-my name..."

"As I told Noi earlier, just get used to it so we can all move on. Now get over here and help me!"

* * *

"Oh Jake, are you alright?"

Jake sat up, yawning. He was a bit surprised to see Emerald and Ava standing over him, looking concerned.

"I am so sorry!" Ava knelt down next to him. "I opened my door and it slammed right into you. Hehe," she laughed nervously.

"W-wait... it did?"

"Yes, ohmygod, I'm so sorry," Ava continued.

"But the demons in your room and... I came in, didn't I?"

"Ava, why don't you go back inside. I'll be there in a minute." Emerald helped Jake stand up, holding on to his arm after he got his feet. "I don't know what you're talking about, but it did sound like you were having a pretty scary dream." She leaned in close, her voice dropping dangerously low. "It also would have been highly not-legal of you to simply open the door and enter my apartment without giving me a call first. Landlord or not, there are laws you need to follow concerning reasonable accommodations for privacy."

Jake paled slightly. "O-of course. I'm so sorry, Emerald."

Emerald released her grip on him, straightening up. "No, I'm so sorry to you for the little accident with Ava." She gave him a small grin. "At least you're alright, though."

"Y-yeah. I'm gonna go... lay down for a moment."

"I think that's a wonderful idea." She watched him go, then went back into the apartment and slammed the doors shut.

Walking into the living room, Emerald was surprised to see all five Daemos sitting around the coffee table. "Where's Ava?"

"She went into her room." Pierce still hadn't retrieved his shirt yet.

"That's fine." Emerald paused near the bookshelf to look at a broken vase on the floor, then sighed and grabbed some books off the shelves. "Here." She placed the stack of books on the table in front of them.

"Books?" Rhys stared at the pile almost hungrily.

"Just a couple I think you guys might like." She sighed tiredly. "Look, I have a lot of work to catch up on." Emerald gave Pierce a pointed look. "So if you guys could put your clothes back on and just... look through these without destroying anything else in the apartment, I'll consider today a win." She started back towards her room. "Just... try to be quiet. Please."

* * *

"Umm... was she mad at us?" Noi seemed uncomfortable.

Rhys tore his gaze away from the stack of books. "Yes, I'm sure. But I think she will calm down if we give her and Ava some time alone."

"Emerald seemed upset about the broken totems," Pierce murmured, pulling his shirt back over his head and tucking it in beneath his robes.

"We will make it up to her soon. But now..." Rhys's eyes lit up again. "Let me tell you all about _ice cream_!"


	6. Chapter Five - Followers and Likes

_This is a work of fanfiction. All characters (except Emerald) belong to Aphmau / Jessica Bravura._

_Cover Art belongs to Aphmau / Jessica Bravura._

_Please don't sue me._

* * *

It was almost 8pm when Emerald knocked lightly on Ava's door. "Ava? It's me."

No answer. "If you're not already asleep, I was just wondering if there was anything you needed from the grocery store tomorrow. And if you are asleep, then... I guess I'll just pick you up another box of Munchie~Scrunchies and some Yum-Yums for Johnny."

Still no answer.

"Okay. I'm gonna be up for a while, so if you think of anything, just come on in." She sighed as she turned away.

As soon as the door to Emerald's room closed, Leif and Noi appeared from the portal to their space.

"She's going back to the sacred mall?" Noi's eyes lit up at the thought.

"Do you think she'd take us with her?"

"Probably not until we can figure out the human clothing."

"She took me and Rhys on her 'run' this morning, though..." Leif narrowed his eyes. "Maybe we only need human clothes to go to certain places? And they're not taking us to those places on purpose!"

"Do you think they would do that?" Noi sounded doubtful. "I mean, Emerald promised they were going to cooperate from now on..."

"Can we really trust them, though?" Leif slowly backed through the portal, deep in thought.

* * *

A few minutes later, Leif started teleport-hopping his way around the apartment. After hiding near the bench outside Ava's room to make sure the coast was clear, he carefully opened the door and entered the younger woman's room, shutting it behind him.

As usual, she was asleep and oblivious to the world around her. The former assassin pulled his knives, not breaking eye contact with her body. But as he drove his knife downward, he found it blocked by another, smaller dagger.

"_You! What are you doing here?!_" Leif and Noi whispered angrily at the same time, staring each other down.

"_I'm here to kill her! What does it look like?!_"

"_No you aren't, because **I'm** here to kill her!_" Noi shot back.

"_You?!_" Leif let out a mocking laugh. "_That's a good one_."

"_Hey, what's so funny? I've done it before!_"

"_You're too weak to do it properly. A human this nice and powerful deserves to be ended by **me**. Besides, you always hesitate._"

"_I do not_!"

"_I thought you liked her_!"

"_I do! But she also scares me with how powerful she is! Besides, if I kill her, then you all have to acknowledge I'm better than anyone here!_"

"_Please, you'll never be on my level. I'm trained to do this. You got to be one of Asch's knights because he felt pity!_"

"_Shut up! I can do this!_" Noi raised his dagger, a determined look on his face which quickly faded as he stared down at Ava's sleeping form.

"_See?_" Leif gave a self-satisfied smirk. "_You hesitate._"

"_Shut up!_"

Rhys chose that moment to throw open the door and enter the room. "_What are you two doing in here?_" he whispered fiercely. "_If she wakes up, she's going to kill us!_"

"_All the more reason for us to kill her first!_" Leif sneered back.

"You mean _me_." Noi wasn't whispering anymore.

"_You two are acting like complete children! Not only that, but you both are disobeying Asch's orders to keep her our prisoner!_"

"_She can be a dead prisoner!_" Leif glared at him defiantly.

"_A **useful** prisoner._" Rhys returned the glare with equal intensity. "_Besides, how do you think Emerald will react if she finds out we killed her charge?_"

"_You know what? I'm tired of this entire journey already. We've been going back and forth on ideas since we got here, and **none** of us are acting normal as we usually are!_"

"_Part of the plan is to** not have one**_," Rhys countered. "_We are accustomizing ourselves to this world! As a former assassin, you should know a thing or two about blending in to your surroundings!_"

"Who do you think you're talking to?!" Leif shouted angrily.

Ava gave out a low groan at the sound.

"_We need to leave. We're going to wake her up!_" Rhys looked concerned. "_Or worse... alert Emerald to what you two are trying to do!_"

"Oh, please." Leif scoffed. "For a human sorcerer, this human has the flaw of sleeping too heavy, which makes her an easy target. Besides, if she hasn't woken up by now, there's nothing that could possibl - "

The former assassin was interrupted by the sound of Ava's phone ringing.

"_What's happening?!_" The noise was confusing to Rhys, who had never heard it before.

"She's gonna wake up!" Noi was panicked.

"_Leif, do something!_"

Leif grabbed the phone, looking around Ava's room desperately. Spotting the built-in headboard of the bed, he ran over and began smacking it repeatedly against the side, grunting with the effort. "**THIS ISN'T WORKING**!"

Ava groaned again, slowly cracking her eyes open.

"_Run_!" Rhys called out, leading the retreat.

Leif tossed the phone at Ava as he and Noi swiftly followed suit, closing the door behind them.

* * *

"Ooo, dessert!" Lorelai's eyes widened at the sight of the pastry. "Gotta go, Ava. Make an Instagram account and let me know your ' ', okay? Bye!" She dropped the phone down at her side, not noticing she had forgotten to hang up.

"You know Ava isn't going to make an Instagram account, right?" Steve gave her a look.

"For real? I can't believe you kept in contact with her after high school," Kristen added.

Lorelai chuckled nervously. "Well, it's an interesting story, really, but she's - "

"Let me guess: she doesn't have any friends still, right?" Steve smirked.

"So, she's probably a charity case for you, huh?" Kristen continued staring her down.

"Well, I mean she has Emerald, so she's not really alone - " Lorelai tried to elaborate.

Steve laughed. "You mean the glorified babysitter?" He shook his head. "It's hard to imagine Ava _with_ an Instagram account. She'd get, like, _no_ followers from how boring she is."

"I heard she was stupidly self-absorbed in high school," Kristen cut in with scorn. "She acted like she was above everyone else and was rude AF."

"Probably because of her dad's job," Orin added, a mocking smirk on his face as well. "God, how much do you think he had to pay Emerald to stay in that apartment and look after her?"

"Just do yourself a favor, Lor, and leave her in the past. Like high school!" Steve ended the jab with another mocking laugh.

Ava finally hit the "End Call" button on her phone, turning away.

'_What if they're right?_' she thought. '_What if Em is only here because she's being paid to be? Does she want to be somewhere else, doing something else?_'

Ava closed her eyes, holding back tears. '_I'll show all those jerks_.'

* * *

Hours later, all five Daemos were gathered together in the main hall of their space. Rhys had called for the meeting after the nearly-disastrous adventure Leif and Noi had embarked on in secret.

"Since we've been here, nothing has happened!" Leif vented. "No fighting, no bloodshed, NOTHING!"

As always, Rhys was the calm voice of reason. "Leif, try to understand, We - "

"I've had enough of your talk, Rhys! We're here to stop the 'scary Magic Crisis' on Daemos, but none of you would even know how to live if we didn't have magic, huh?!"

"What does it matter? You serve _me_ now, Leif." Asch glared at him. "And if you know what's best for you, you'll stand down and hold your tongue before I rip it out."

"_Why are they acting so hostile?_" Noi whispered to Pierce.

"Perhaps the _lack_ of hostility in this world."

Leif was still ranting. "I am _done_ toying with Ava and Emerald! I'm done worrying about the _freaking_ Magic Crisis! Let's just take their magic, and CALL IT!"

"That... actually might not be a bad idea," Noi agreed reluctantly.

"Noi, two humans aren't going to sustain Daemos forever," Rhys explained patiently. "Especially since we know Emerald doesn't have magic. We - "

"I've been _waiting_ to take them out!" Leif's expression was positively murderous as he brandished his knives.

"Back off, Leif," Asch ordered, summoning a fireball. "I'm in charge of the prisoners' executions, and _I_ will decide when it's time!"

"Your Majesty, please! Stop using your magic!" Rhys was getting frustrated.

Noi groaned. "This is getting out of hand."

"Then start demanding answers from them, Asch!" Leif chalenged. "We've barely even been outside the house!"

"Yes we have! And we discovered: _ice cream_!" Rhys's eyes lit up.

"It doesn't count if it's only one of us! And that stupid little 'run' we went on with Emerald didn't actually take us anywhere interesting! Get more answers from them or I'll - " He was cut off by Pierce's sword suddenly appearing an inch from his face.

"No one is taking them until we learn more about this human world," the largest Daemos warned softly.

"Pierce is... surprisingly right," Rhys admitted. "We need answers from Ava and Emerald. We need them to take us out to see the human world so we can learn more."

"Then... why don't we go ask them?" Noi cut in.

"We _have_ been asking them. That isn't going to work anymore." Asch walked towards the portal. "Now... we threaten them."

"Not if I threaten them first!" Leif called out angrily, chasing after him.

* * *

Emerald yawned, pulling off her headphones and stretching. She'd been trying to get caught up on her work since yesterday, but the articles in question had needed a lot more work than they usually did. However, they were finally done with minutes to spare before the deadline.

'_Time for a quick power nap before -_ '

A chirpy *ping* from her computer told her the next round of work had just been delivered to her inbox, followed by a loud *thud* as Emerald hit her desk with her forehead. She made a tiny noise of frustration.

'_Nevermind. Caffinated all-dayer after an all-nighter, here I come_.'

The sound of Ava arguing with the Daemos reached her ears, even through the closed door. Sighing, she slowly stood up as she stretched again. '_Better get out there before they break anything else_,' she thought in resignation.

"Seriously, guys?" Emerald yawned again as she walked into the kitchen. "Do you have any idea what time it is? I've been up all night trying to get back on - Ava?" The older woman stopped short, taking in the younger woman's outfit with concern, then looked at the Daemos gathered around her. "Do I even _want_ to know what's going on? Or do you just need me to go back into my room and pretend I don't exist for a few hours?"

"Oh my God," Ava murmured under her breath. "Em, it's not what it looks like - "

"Oh, so what is it _supposed_ to look like?" She crossed her arms over her chest. "Because from where I'm standing, it looks like you were thinking about taking some _very_ inappropriate pictures with our new roommates."

For once, the Daemos didn't dare interrupt. This was a new dynamic between the two humans they hadn't seen before.

"No, I wasn't!" Ava blushed furiously. "I was going to take some pictures of _me_ when they just kind of photobombed me!"

Emerald cocked one eyebrow. "And that makes this better... how?"

"I overheard Lorelai's stupid friends gossiping about me over the phone after she called me and forgot to hang up when we were done talking last night. They all were going on about how I was a boring, unpopular loser in high school who probably couldn't get a single follower on Instagram even if I tried and I need to make an Instagram and take some amazing photos and get a bunch of followers to _shut them up_!"

"And why does that matter?"

"Huh?"

"Why does it matter so much what some random people think? Do you even know them?"

"W-well, I mean... " she trailed off, suddenly unsure of her plan.

Emerald sighed, closing her eyes as she pinched the bridge of her nose. "Look, do whatever you're going to do. You're an adult, and it's honestly none of my business what you choose to do on social media. Just... be a little considerate? Please?"

Ava nodded. "Don't worry, I won't do anything to embarrass my parents. Or get you in trouble with them, either."

"That's all I can ask for at this point." Emerald turned back to the stove, grabbing the kettle and taking it over to the sink. "Just give me a couple minutes to make some tea, then you guys can use the main space for your... 'project' or whatever."

Rhys took a hesitant step towards her. "What is this 'tea'?"

The older woman gave a small grin as she silently pulled out six extra mugs from the cabinet. "Ava, you want in on this?"

"Sure. You always make really good tea."

* * *

Once everyone had finished, Emerald made herself a second cup of tea and headed back towards her room.

As soon as the door was shut, Ava turned back to her phone. "Zero likes?! Ugh, I should have been famous by now! Waiting is too hard!" She put the phone down on the coffee table. "Ugh, I give up. I'm gonna go get into my clothes." The young woman disappeared into her room, closing the door.

Leif sighed. "Well, so much for threatening her to show us the human world..."

"I'll settle this!" Asch marched over to Ava's door and began pounding on it. "Human Sorcerer Ava! Open this door right now before I bust this door down and take that power away from you as fast as I can! You don't even _know_ how powerful I am, do you?! Oh, I'm gonna get your power, yes I am! You have no right to keep that from us!"

While Asch was busy doing all that, Leif slowly approached Ava's phone where she had left it. He poked it a few times with one his knives, putting them away when nothing happened. Curious, he picked it up and looked at it. As he held it up in front of his face, it gave a small *click*. "Oh, I did a thing! Wait, that's me! Wait... " His eyes narrowed. "If I get that 'me' out, then we could cause chaos _together_! Get! Out! Of! There!" He punctuated each word with another punch to the phone.

Rhys was finally distracted enough to look away from Asch. "Leif, what are you doing?! Stop!"

He did not stop.

Meanwhile, Asch had taken to pounding non-stop on Ava's door, which finally prompted her to emerge fully dressed. "Stop banging on my door and - " She paled as she saw Leif abusing her phone. "What are you _doing_?!"

"Punching the other me until he comes out and knows who's superior!"

Ava rushed over, snatching the phone out of his hand. "Do you understand what you could have done?! My entire reputation is on the line and - " Her phone gave a musical *ding*, drawing her attention back down. "Wait, a like?" As she stared at it, the stats updated again. "No way! You've got five likes? And I've gained three followers... " she added, almost to herself. "This is amazing!"

"What does that mean?" Leif sounded thoroughly unimpressed.

Another *ding* sounded. "Oh my God, your picture just got 20 likes!"

"These 'likes' seem to please Ava," Pierce observed quietly to Noi.

"Leif, can I take another picture of you?"

"Huh? You want to make _another_ 'me'?"

"Hold it, Sorceress Ava!" Asch bellowed. "Leif isn't doing anything until you take us out to see the world! We went to the sacred mall and got the human clothes for nothing, and - "

"Say 'Cheese'," Ava chirped, taking his picture. Ignoring his alarmed scream, she pushed another button on her phone. "And... posted!"

"Did Asch get any likes?" Rhys seemed emotionally invested in her answer.

She made a disapproving noise with her mouth. "You gotta wait. Leif just got lucky. There is no way Asch will - *gasp* Oh my God, youhave20already_HOW_?!"

Noi voiced his approval. "Good job, Asch!"

"W-what did I do?"

Ava gasped again. "Let me check my picture!" Tears of joy flowed down her cheeks as she saw five likes on her own photo. "This is the best day, ever! Whoa, Leif got 40 likes!"

The former assassin gave a cocky chuckle. "More than Asch."

"What?!"

"Asch is close behind with 30."

"I can't put my finger on it, but something about knowing more humans are thinking of me more than Asch... _does_ make me feel powerful!"

"R-really?!" Noi's eyes sparkled. "I wanna try it!"

Rhys was almost equally excited. "Me too!"

Pierce looked around at everyone, then nodded once. "Okay."

"They... want to do this? Wait... " Ava furrowed her brows. '_This could be my chance! I've already gained 20 followers thanks to these demons and by using them, I could get more! I'll just get the followers, delete the demons' pictures leaving only mine, and then go up to Lorelai's **stupid** friends and rub it in their **stupid** faces that I managed to get so many stalkers with just one picture! I'll just need 1000 followers to make them cry. And best of all, my parents never have to know and Emerald won't get into any trouble!_' "The perfect crime," she said aloud.

"Alright, listen: I - " Asch was getting wound up for another shouting match.

Ava interrupted. "Let me take pictures of you guys, and Em and I'll take all of you guys out to explore tomorrow. We won't make any excuses and we'll answer any questions you have." She blushed suddenly. "Plus... we'll even help you guys get into your human clothes if we need to."

Asch gave a satisfied hum. "You've finally come around, prisoner. I knew you'd break under our reign."

"Uh, on second thought, this might be a bad idea - "

"We will grace your fellow humans and allow them to look upon us."

"I mean, you didn't really give me and Em a choice, but okay... "

"Upon the rising of the next sun, you and the larger female human will take us out!"

"God, you'd be so much hotter if you didn't talk..."

Asch formed a small fireball in his hand. "Well, I think I'm hot enough."

"That isn't what I meant."

"Hey Asch, let's make this even more of a challenge and make a deal: the one who gets the most human likes gets to kill Ava!" Leif grinned.

Ava's eyes grew huge. "Wait, what the fu - "

"He meant that as a compliment!" Rhys was scrambling to cover for Asch and Leif. "Daemos aren't good with words and, uh, we want to get your magic secrets, of course!" He finished by laughing nervously.

"God! All of you just stand still and look pretty!"

* * *

The rest of the day passed in a blur of pictures and poses. At some point, Emerald came out to let Ava know she was going to the grocery store. One look at what everyone was doing, and the older woman simply shook her head and left.

Soon, it was early evening and Ava was flicking through her Instagram stats. "I have 2337 followers now," she announced. "This is insane! This is almost too much... Am I ready to wield this kind of power? This kind of responsibil - "

"Enough talk!" Asch interrupted. "What is the amount of 'human likes' for myself against Leif?"

"Oh yeah, I forgot! Uh... It - whoa. It looks like Asch is ahead of Leif by - wow... quite a bit."

"As expected."

"What?! No way!" Leif was indignant.

"Looks like the honor of Ava's life is mine, Leif. Don't worry: you can have Eme - "

The Daemos prince cut himself off as Leif went over and grabbed Ava. Everyone gasped as the former assassin threw her over his shoulder, turning to face them. "This contest isn't over, Asch... and I'm gonna make _sure_ I win!"

With that, he turned and leapt out the open window as Ava shrieked. Landing on the sidewalk below, he was oblivious to the screams of bystanders as he ran from the apartment building.

"Leif, how dare he!" Asch shouted in outrage as he began to climb out the window himself.

"Your Majesty, don't!" Rhys warned.

"Why not?!"

"Didn't you see how those humans reacted? If we jump, we'll just alert them to our presence."

"Then what do we do?" Pierce sounded oddly impatient.

"We should inform Emerald what has happened. If anyone would know how to track Ava, it would be her."

Together, the remaining four Daemos went to Emerald's room. They were surprised to find the door slightly open, even more so to find the older woman missing.

"Where did she go?!" Asch was livid.

"Patience, your Majesty." Rhys tried to calm him. "I'm sure she is somewhere close by: she would not abandon Ava."

"Maybe she went to the sacred mall?" Noi offered.

"Why would she go there?"

"Leif and I heard her asking Ava if she wanted anything from the 'gro-sherry store' last night."

"Hmm... " Rhys paused for a moment, thinking. "Last time I went out, Ava used her magic box. Emerald used the same magic box when she took Leif and I on the 'run' yesterday. Follow me!"

Once they were all in the elevator, Asch looked around in disgust. "What is this?"

"This is Ava and Emerald's ala-vay-tor." Rhys explained. "It can take us to the exit."

Noi perked up immediately. "Wow! How does it work?"

"Simple. You push a button, and it takes you where you want to go."

Asch turned around and pressed every single button on the panel, then looked up. "TAKE ME TO LEIF, ALA-VATOR!"

"Wait, that's not how it - "

The doors slammed shut as an "up" arrow next to the number "3" appeared on the panel.

Noi screamed in panic. "What did you do, Asch?!"

"He's angered it!" Pierce was on guard.

"No, this is how it works." Rhys tried to calm them all down.

It was too little assurance too late: all three Daemos began to yell in panic.

* * *

After running for what seemed forever, Leif finally stopped at a fountain in a park and set Ava down on the pavement.

"You... are... the worst!" she sputtered. "The absolute worst! I'm sure a ton of people saw you, and now we're going to get into so much trouble!"

Leif's eyes sparkled. "Oh, I live for trouble."

"No, you live to be an idiot, obviously."

The green-clad Daemos drew both his knives. "Now then... get me more human likes, or else... "

"You'll kill me?" Ava didn't sound impressed or frightened.

"You catch on quick," he chuckled.

Ava sighed. "What is it with you and being so... Kill Happy?" She turned and looked around, finding an empty Starbucks cup on a nearby bench. "You know that's a horrible thing here on Earth."

"Heh, never really had somebody ask me about that before. You see, I'm a former assassin. Not to brag or anything but, in our group, I'm the second most deadly. Those who cross my path don't live very long."

"Really?" Ava seemed a bit worried, but tried to cover it. "For some reason, you guys don't scare me. And I'm positive you don't scare Em."

"That's because you're a powerful sorcerer, you obviously don't know fear. And Emerald is clearly a warrior: how else would she have gotten that scar across her abdomen? She's obviously survived many battles, but keeps losing focus because she has to watch over you." His eyes sparkled as he put away his knives. "If she could fight me without being distracted, I'm _sure_ it would be a worthy battle."

"Riiight." Ava approached him with the Starbucks cup, placing it in his hand. "Here: hold this cup and pose next to that fountain. Pretend like you're going to drink it. This picture is so Basic, no one will be able to resist."

She quickly snapped the photo, posting it right away. "Perfect! So Basic... "

"Did I get more likes than Asch?!"

"Heh heh. _Soon_ you will... "

Suddenly, Ava heard a voice she definitely _didn't_ want. "C'mon, you slowpokes!"

"Wait, that's... "

"Huh?"

Ava gasped. "Hide!" She ran off towards the bushes, hoping Leif would follow without question.

Luckily, he did.

It took a bit of work on Ava's part, but Leif eventually brought her back to the apartment. There was a tense moment where he'd offered to kill Steve, Kristen, and Orin simply because he "didn't want her face to look like that anymore." Luckily, the former assassin found the idea of carrying Ava home in the same manner he had absconded with her to the park a more appealing offer.

As he put her down on the floor of the apartment, Ava stared at him with huge eyes. "You're... seriously crazy! You're _so_ lucky nobody else saw that..."

Outside the apartment, two men looked up at the open window. "Everyone saw that... right?" asked the first.

"Yeah," sighed the second one. "Just ignore it. It was probably a drone."

Both men shrugged their shoulders and walked away.

Ava's phone gave a little *chirp*, bringing her attention back to it. "Huh?" She suddenly gasped. "Oh no!"

"What?"

"My Dad's asking about my Instagram account! How the heck did he find me?! Nononononono, I need to delete the pics before he gets the wrong idea like Mrs. Oates!"

"Wait, who won?!"

"You did, okay?!"

Leif laughed maniacally. "I _knew_ I was better than Asch!"

Ava ignored him, frantically trying to make her Instagram account "Parent Safe." "Uh... okay. All your pics are gone, except for mine." She grinned. "Which now has 1000 likes! Haha, yay!" She finally took a good look around the apartment. "Wait... where are the others?"

As if on cue, Emerald came around the corner carrying several grocery bags. The remaining four Daemos were right behind her, looking somewhat nauseated. "Hey, I found these guys stuck in the elevator. Did something happen?"

Ava and Leif exchanged a quick look. "Oh, not much," the former tried (and failed) to laugh nonchalantly. "We just took some pictures, then I decided to... take Leif out to the park for a few extra shots. Anyway, where were you?!" Ava gave Emerald a half-hearted glare. "You didn't hear me scream?!"

The older woman gave her a confused look. "Why were you screaming?"

"Oh, uh... because Leif startled me and I gave a little... surprised yelp?"

"... so it has nothing to do with him grabbing you and jumping out the window and running off in front of a bunch of witnesses?"

"How did you - ?!"

"I saw you guys when I was walking back to the apartment." Emerald started unpacking the bags she had placed on the counter. Asch, Noi, and Leif had already retreated past them to their space. Rhys and Pierce were hanging back, observing the interaction between the two women.

"And you didn't do anything?!"

"Believe it or not, I've become accustomed to your different shrieks at this point." Emerald put some milk in the fridge. "You gave more of a 'surprised' yelp than a 'I am terrified and genuinely in fear for my life' scream, so I figured you'd get it under control eventually." She hefted a 25-lb. bag of rice onto the counter. "And here you are, safe and sound."

Ava scowled at her. "You know, sometimes I'm a little envious of how calm you can be."

The older woman gave her a small grin. "Comes with practice. You'll get there eventually." She put two cans of Yum-Yums on the counter. "Anyway, we're good on groceries until my check clears thanks to that little errand you ran yesterday for Mrs. Oates."

"What's the giant bag of rice for?"

"There was a deal on Spam, so I thought I'd make some musubi." She placed several cans on the counter, along with some seaweed strips and a small jar of _furikake_. "I learned how to make it in Hawaii, but I don't think I've made it for you yet."

Ava's face scrunched up at the mention of Spam. "Do I _have_ to eat it?"

Emerald sighed. "If you 'd rather eat nothing but Munchie-Scrunchies for the rest of the week, I can't stop you. But you could at least try it... you might find it's pretty good." She gave a small grin. "To be honest, I thought the exact same thing when I first heard about it."

Rhys had slowly worked his way to Emerald's side. "What is this... moo-soo-bee?"

"It's a little packet of meat fried in soy sauce and rice wrapped in seaweed, with a thin layer of flavoring between the meat and rice layers." She showed him the ingredients. "If you like, I can show you how to make some tomorrow before we all go out."

His eyes sparkled at the prospect. "I would like that very much."

Pierce studied the ingredients, a look of concentration on his face. "How do you make it if you do not have magic?"

"Using something called 'cooking,'" Emerald answered patiently. "Anybody can do it, if they try hard enough."

"Fascinating." Rhys seemed even more focused as he squinted at the _furikake_. "So, magic is not required to make your food?"

"Nope. Humans make their own food, or pay someone else to make it for them."

"What is 'pay'?"

"That is a lesson for another day." Emerald refilled the kettle with water and put it on the stove. "I think y'all should get some sleep: we have a pretty big day tomorrow."

Rhys and Pierce didn't need a second prompting: the elevator ride had really taken a toll on them. They passed through the portal into their space with no fuss whatsoever. Ava was headed towards her room, but stopped when she heard the burner click on. "Are you staying up again?"

The older woman sighed. "Yeah. This week hasn't started out too smoothly, but I'm almost caught up to where I need to be."

"... how much more do you have to do?"

"Only two more articles for tomorrow."

"Em!"

"Hey, I've gone four days without sleep to make deadline before. One more night isn't going to be the end of the world. Besides, tomorrow is a down day. I can grab a quick nap before we take everyone out, then get to bed early and get back on track."

"You still going for your run tomorrow?"

Emerald hesitated. "I have to. Can't get too far off schedule, or I'll - "

"You know, it's okay to go off sometimes. Haven't you ever just wanted to take a day and... not do anything?"

"I did that this weekend." She winked. "Besides, you sleep enough for the two of us. Now go to bed: I'll see you tomorrow."

Ava was about to close the door, but paused again. "How did you know I promised them we'd go out tomorrow?"

"It was all they could talk about while we were riding the elevator back up." She grinned. "It was kind of cute."

"Did they also tell you about the deal to help them get into their human clothes?"

"Wait, _what_?!"


	7. Chapter Six - Cooking, Kindness, Picnics

_This is a work of fanfiction. All characters (except Emerald) belong to Aphmau / Jessica Bravura._

_Cover Art belongs to Aphmau / Jessica Bravura._

_Please don't sue me._

_*Contains one top-tier cuss word. Shield your eyes, children!*_

* * *

It was about one in the morning when Ava got the feeling she wasn't quite alone. She slowly cracked opened her eyes, only to see Rhys kneeling in front of her.

"Oh, good! You're awake!"

"No, I'm not... " she croaked out.

"But... you're talking."

"Just... what do you want?"

"Remember your promise to take us out when the sun rises."

"Is that... it?"

"I have one more important thing to tell you: remember to let the other Daemos eat ice cream as well. It's important for our research." Ava could _hear_ the smile in his voice.

"Is that just an excuse for you to eat ice cream?"

Rhys was practically shaking with excitement. "Yes!"

"I'm... goin' back to sleep. Why don't you go bug Em about this... "

"That is an excellent idea!" Rhys got halfway to the door before he turned back. "Don't forget!" he called out excitedly as he ran from her room, heading down the hallway. As he approached, the Daemos heard an unfamiliar tapping sound which grew louder the closer he got.

The door to Emerald's room was half-open, allowing him to see inside. A small light was on at her desk, her fingers rhythmically tapping out an unknown pattern on the machine Noi had told him about. Rhys watched, entranced at how swiftly her fingers moved over the buttons.

He was so focused it took him a moment to realize the noise had stopped.

"Do you need something?" her voice called out tiredly. He then noticed that while she was wearing her 'headphones', only one side was pulled down. Her right ear (closer to the door) was uncovered.

Rhys recovered from his surprise quickly. "I was just coming to remind you of your promise to assist Ava in taking us all out tomorrow... as well as your other promise to show me this 'cooking' you described earlier."

The older woman stared at him for a moment, then turned back to her machine. "... do you have any idea what time it is? Nevermind, of course you don't." She sighed, rubbing her eyes under her glasses. "Go get some rest. And _don't_ wake up Ava."

The Daemos slowly retreated, feeling it would be better not to let the larger female know that was exactly what he'd already done.

* * *

Ava awoke to the sound of something being hit repeatedly right next to her on the bed. She opened her eyes to see Leif punching her phone. "What the ffff-fudge are you doing?!"

"Trying to get the 'Leif' in your magic slab out to show him who's superior!" He continued punching her phone with renewed vigor.

"Why are you guys so dumb?! STOP PUNCHING MY PHONE!"

He gave her a defiant glare. "Make me!"

Ava grabbed her phone and shoved it down the top of her shirt to rest between her breasts.

"Uh... what is _that_ supposed to do?"

"... make you not want to grab it from my boobs because you respect my boundaries?"

"I RESPECT NOTHING!" Leif reached forward to grab it.

"It's behind my source of power! Touch it and you _DIE_!"

He chuckled. "You know, I respect that you put death in all of your spells. Makes me respect you."

"Wait... you just said - "

"Watch your back, Sorcerer Ava."

The door to Ava's room slammed open, nearly smacking Leif in the face. Emerald entered close behind, brandishing her bat. "Get the _fuck_ out of here," she growled darkly, glaring at the green-clad Daemos.

Leif made as if to grab his knives, but stopped himself. "Heh, you're lucky Asch ordered me not to kill you, or else you'd be - "

_**"GET OUT!"**_

Both Ava and Leif stared in shock for a moment, before the latter scurried away. Neither of them had ever heard Emerald yell like that before: it was downright terrifying. The older woman leaned against the doorframe, taking a few deep breaths.

"... are you okay?" Ava asked softly, staring openly.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm okay." Emerald straightened up, meeting her gaze. "Did he hurt you?"

"Nono, I'm fine." Now that the adrenaline was wearing off, both women were feeling their exhaustion.

Emerald nodded slowly. "I'm almost done. I'll camp out on the couch and try to keep them from bugging you." She turned and left, softly closing the door.

Ava laid back down, her mind drawn back to what Leif had tried to do. "_God_, he's _stupid_!"

* * *

Ava awoke later to Noi lying on her bed, staring at her while she slept. The young woman found herself blushing immediately due to his close proximity. "Wh-what are you doing?"

"Do you think humans will think I'm a threat?"

"Uh... to their personal space, yeah."

"What does that mean?"

"That means you're uncomfortably close to me right now and if I didn't know you I'd be very scared."

Noi gasped. "Really?!"

"Yes."

"Good!" He laughed happily. "Thanks for the advice, Ava!" The smallest Daemos jumped off her bed and ran out the door.

"Jesus... thank you for the hot demon boys, but why did you have to make them _so frickin' stupid_ and interrupting... my... sleep...?" As she drifted back to sleep, Ava could've sworn she heard Noi screaming in panic, followed by Emerald's voice yelling after him.

* * *

It was just before sunrise when Asch snuck his way past Emerald's sleeping form on the couch and entered Ava's room.

The young woman opened her eyes to see the Daemos prince summoning a fireball in front of her dresser. "What're you doing?" she slurred out sleepily.

"Don't try to stop me! Leif told me where you hid your phone, so I'm destroying all of your - "

"Okay. Don't care. Want sleep." Ava closed her eyes tiredly.

"_She fainted at the sight of my deed_," Asch whispered in awe. He turned and grabbed every single bra in her dresser, laughing to himself. "I'll take these all and destroy them." He snuck past Emerald and reentered the Daemos space, but paused once he was on the other side.

_'I wonder if Emerald has any of these "sources of power" as well... '_

* * *

Pierce was about to open the door to Ava's room when he heard a *thud* from the hallway near the front door. He looked up, surprised to see Emerald leaning against the wall as she struggled to put one of her sneakers on. She was wearing what Rhys had described the other day as her "running clothes."

"Are you okay?" he asked, approaching cautiously.

"Hmm?" the older woman gave him a confused look, as if she didn't recognize him. "Oh, it's you." She paused. "The... the one with the big... abs-arms." Emerald giggled a little, then slipped down to sit on the bench. She paused a moment, blinking heavily while she took a few measured breaths and leaned back against the wall.

"You do not seem well."

"Psssh," she carelessly waved him off, leaning forward to tie her shoe. It turned out to be a bit too far and she began to pitch forward.

Faster than she could see, Pierce rushed forward and caught her shoulders. He was surprised to feel her trembling under his grip. The large Daemos helped her sit back down on the bench, keeping his hand on her shoulder. "Are you going on another 'run'?"

"... getting ready to," Emerald answered, resting her head in her hand. "I'm just... tired... "

Pierce nodded. He had seen something similar happen during battles on Daemos: soldiers would push themselves beyond their own endurance, whether due to orders or their own sense of duty, and attempt to continue fighting long after they should have been relieved. For whatever reason, Emerald was doing something similar.

Luckily, the Daemos general knew exactly what to do. Unfortunately, he wasn't sure if the human female would accept his help. He could just do it without asking for permission, but felt she would not appreciate that. Instead, he knelt in front of her to meet her gaze. "I do not think you should run today."

It took Emerald a moment to respond as she processed what he said. To his dismay, a look of determination worked its way across her face. "W-well, I think... I _should_ run... " She put her hands on her knees and began pushing herself up to stand. Pierce could feel her shaking intensify under his fingers.

"Stop. What would Ava do if you hurt yourself?"

_That_ got her attention. Emerald paused, before sitting heavily on the bench: it was only his grip that kept her from falling over. "Not... fair." Reluctantly, she pried each shoe off with the toe of the opposite foot, then reached out her hand. "... help me?"

"Okay." Pierce pulled her to her feet easily, draping her left arm over his shoulder and putting his right hand around her waist to support her. If it had been Ava, he would have simply picked her up: however, Emerald's height was not as far off from his own as the younger human's. The Daemos also felt the larger woman would not appreciate being carried around her own home unless it was absolutely necessary.

Carefully, the two maneuvered into Emerald's room and over to the bed. The first rays of the sun were just beginning to peak over the tops of the nearby buildings, bathing the room in a soft peach light. Pierce helped Emerald sit on the edge of her bed, then guided her head to the pillows. "Sleep," he said softly, hesitating for only a moment before he began to gently stroke her hair.

He felt her tense up briefly under his fingers, before she relaxed and closed her eyes. "F'ne... " she slurred. "... but t-mrrow... ur com'n... alon... " Emerald's breathing evened out quickly, letting Pierce know she was already asleep.

Satisfied she wouldn't be trying to leave again for a while, the large Daemos made his way to Ava's room. He ducked through the doorway and approached the bed, somewhat surprised to see her eyes opened to slits. "The sun has risen."

"I haven't gotten... _any_ sleep," she murmured.

"But you said you would take us out," he pressed, coming closer.

"I can't do that without sleep." She blinked heavily. "It's how I get my energy."

"That explains why you are strong: you sleep a lot." He met her exhausted gaze with understanding. "Sleep."

"I _can't_," Ava whined, sounding like she was about to cry. "I've been woken up _so much_ I can't focus on sleeping... "

'_It seems the others kept the humans awake all night_,' he thought as he knelt down next to the bed. '_If we're going to get outside at all today, they both need rest first_.' Gently, he began to stroke the top of Ava's head.

"You... don't have... to... " Her eyes began to drift closed as her words slurred together. "Thank you... fo-for... you... kindness... "

Pierce froze as if he'd been struck, memories flooding into his mind. He quickly shook off the feeling, resuming his ministration of headpats to keep Ava asleep.

* * *

It was hours later when Rhys poked his head into Ava's room. He knew Pierce had been sent to awaken the humans, but it shouldn't have taken this long. He was shocked to see the large Daemos apparently asleep, his head resting on the bed next to Ava's.

'_This situation appears delicate,_' he thought to himself. Pierce's horns were so close to Ava, he might accidentally harm her if one of them were to wake suddenly. '_Perhaps Emerald would be able to assist._' Nodding his head, Rhys turned and carefully entered the older woman's room.

Emerald was lying on her back, the palms of both hands over her eyes as she rubbed them fiercely. It appeared she was only just now awakening herself. "Ah, you're awake!" Rhys announced himself as he came closer, making sure she knew he was there. He had a feeling it wouldn't be a good idea to surprise the large human female.

"Hmm?" Emerald looked at him around her hands, squinting. "Oh, it's you." She sighed, reaching out blindly for her phone. "What time is it?"

"It is getting late. You and Ava promised to take us out today. The sun rose several hours ago."

She swore softly under her breath as she sat up, looking at the phone as swung her legs out over the side. "Okay, yeah. We should have been up a while ago." She stretched, groaning when her back gave a soft *pop*. "Could you give me a minute? I just need to get dressed real quick, then we'll go get Ava up."

Rhys nodded, pleased everything seemed to be going smoothly for once. He closed the door as he backed out, heading towards the Daemos space to inform Asch of his success...

...only to see the Daemos prince entering Ava's room.

"Pierce! Why have you not brought the humans to us?!"

The large Daemos pushed himself away from Ava's side in one smooth motion, almost faster than Asch could follow. "She needs sleep."

"She's our _prisoner_, Pierce! You had a direct order!"

"I can bring her now."

"No, I'm already here. Now wake her up, or I'll wake her."

Anyone else listening would've _sworn_ they could hear the sigh in Pierce's voice. "I'll do it." He began to gently shake Ava's shoulder.

Leif opened the other door, entering to stand by Asch. "Pierce has been acting odd as well," he murmured.

Ava sat up, staring bleary-eyed at the Daemos. "What'sch... goin' on?" she slurred sleepily.

"It's time for you to dress me," Asch drawled out smugly.

"Uh-huh - huh?"

Noi entered, dragging the bag of human clothing behind him. Rhys and Emerald appeared in the doorway, the latter watching intently.

"Wha-what is this?"

"You said yesterday you'd help them put on their human clothes," Rhys reminded her. Emerald barely held back a laugh next to him, covering it with a cough.

"Wai-wait! Wait! I-I didn't mean that literal - "

"Too late..." Asch ripped his shirt off. "Dress me."

The room descended into chaos. Ava leapt off the bed and ran into the corner by the window, Asch close behind as he held out his arms expectantly. Leif shouted encouragement as Noi and Pierce wondered why Ava was acting so strangely.

Rhys stared openly at Emerald, who was doubled over laughing. "Are you not worried Prince Asch will harm Ava?"

She shook her head, a few stray chuckles breaking through. "No, no... *heh* I think everything will be okay for now." She tapped him lightly on the shoulder. "Come with me: I believe I promised you a cooking lesson this morning."

* * *

"I can't believe I dressed a grown man," Ava murmured to Johnny as she fed him.

"I thought it was adorable," Emerald piped up from the stove, Rhys practically plastered to her hip as he watched. They had already gotten the rice going in the rice cooker and had moved on to slicing and frying the Spam. From the living room, the other Daemos were complaining about the human clothing. What surprised her the most was to hear Pierce say he didn't like them. '_Guess he has some opinions after all_.'

"Why didn't you dress us fully by yourself?" Asch demanded, staring down Ava.

"I put on your shirts and jackets and _showed_ you how to do the rest. I'm not going below the waist. I would like to avoid seeing a guy's lower region in person until I decide to - " The smaller woman cut herself off, blushing furiously. "Y-you know what? Nevermind..."

Emerald began chuckling. "So _that's_ why you sent me in to 'finish the job,' eh?"

"Em, I swear to God, shut up!" Ava turned back to the sandwiches she was making on the counter.

"Oh, come on. Today wasn't even the first time I've helped a guy into his clothes, much less the first time I've seen - "

"Ava, what are you doing?" Noi interrupted.

"Mrs. Oates asked me to make some PB&Js for her, and I thought I might as well pack a lunch for us since I'm taking you guys out and I don't have any money. Plus, I don't feel desperate enough to eat Spam, no matter how nice Em makes it smell."

"Aww, you _do_ still have some dignity," Emerald teased. The lack of sleep seemed to be making her a bit loopy, which in turn made her act considerably more forward than she would usually behave.

"Are you Mrs. Oates's pupils?" Rhys interrupted, looking between the two women. "You seem to do a lot of tasks for her."

"No, we're her neighbors and she also pays us a bit of money for helping her out and since Ava doesn't have a job, we do what we can."

"Plus, I like Mrs. Oates." Ava looked uncomfortable. "Even if she shared things with me that recently I don't wanna know."

"Are we leaving yet?' Leif grumbled impatiently.

"I grow impatient as well," Asch grumbled. "Where are we going?"

Ava put on her 'spooky Sorceress' voice. "Long ago, before the reign of the Internet, humans would go outside and enjoy the sun. The sun of our world gives us Vitamin D, which gives us nutrients we need to be more powerful. Today, we will be taking you to the ancient ruins of the park, a place where my parents would take me when I was younger to experience the world."

"Ancient?!" Noi gasped in wonder.

"Yes. But they are mere ruins now, as humans rarely visit them."

"... because of the In-ter-net," Rhys added thoughtfully. "What's that?"

"That will be a topic for another day," Emerald interrupted, drawing Rhys's attention back to the pan. "We'd like to introduce you to Earth slowly."

"Now, you guys will need to hide your horns," Ava took over again. "Once you've done that, meet me outside and we'll wait for Em and Rhys to finish the... Spam thing. I'm gonna go give Mrs. Oates these sandwiches I made for her." With that, she turned and left the apartment.

"We're almost done: shouldn't be too much longer." Emerald filled a small bowl with water, then put in on the counter by the seaweed strips and _furikake_. "I need to get these musubi put together and wrapped. Ready to help, Rhys?"

As usual, the curious Daemos's face practically sparkled with excitement. "Yes!"

* * *

Ava knocked on the door to Mrs. Oates's apartment, sandwich bag in hand. The elder woman soon opened the door, but she wasn't alone today. "Oh, Ava! Good to see you!"

"Hey Mrs. Oates! Oh, hey Mrs. Bell."

"Helloooo," the latter crooned.

"Are you guys having your Book Club or something?"

Mrs. Oates waved her hand dismissively. "Psh, please darling, we're not that boring. We're meeting to plan our Crochet Club."

"Far _less_ boring!"

"Oh, yeah, totally," Ava hastily agreed. "I get that life. Anyway, here are the sandwiches you asked me for."

"Oh, perfect! Thank you so much, Ava." Mrs. Oates took the proffered bag, then handed her a stack of bills. "And here: a little extra today so you and Emmy can take all your handsome boy toys out."

"Mrs. Oates, _please_... " Ava began blushing.

"Oooo!" Mrs. Bell interjected excitedly. "You should bring them over sometime! Mrs. Oates told me all about them."

"She did?" Any embarrassment Ava felt earlier dissolved in flat disbelief.

"Yes! We heard all the screaming this morning, too."

As if summoned by comedic timing, Pierce and Leif were suddenly standing behind Ava. "Hey, let's get moving," the latter Daemos demanded.

"Whooo!" Mrs. Bell cooed. "You are right: they are handsome!"

"Where are you all going?" Mrs. Oates had a mischievous look in her eye.

"To the park, to give Ava and Emerald the 'Vitamin D'," Pierce reported.

The two senior citizens were practically buzzing with imaginative fantasies.

"I swear to _God_, I - "

Leif interrupted Ava. "Ava and Emerald are going to absorb it to become more powerful."

"We're leaving! Have a good day Mrs. Oates, Mrs. Bell." Ava delivered her farewell through gritted teeth as she headed back towards her apartment, the Daemos following like eager puppies.

"Lucky girls." Mrs. Bell looked at her friend. "You should ask the other one to fix your camera so you can get pictures of those handsome men."

"Ooo, good idea!"

* * *

Soon after, everyone was crammed into the elevator on their way down to the street. "Why is she so red?" Rhys asked, squinting at Ava.

Noi chuckled. "I don't know, but I like her like that." Emerald barely covered a chuckle of her own, bringing her hand to her mouth to silence the noise.

"I'm red because I just realized you guys take everything literally. Do you guys not have like a 'learning' school or communicate with others on a logical level?"

"School?" Asch stared in confusion.

"Oh!" Rhys seemed to understand. "I didn't realize you would ask us about our culture."

"So all the questions I've been asking don't count because...?" Emerald trailed off, giving him a look.

Rhys chose to ignore it for the time being, too excited about exchanging cultural information. "Learning isn't a primary concern on Daemos. Most learning is about magic and fighting, since it's our primary way of survival."

"Teaching is a luxury only certain Daemos get to be in," Leif added.

"Interesting." Ava shook off her earlier grumpiness. "Okay then, I'm going to teach you guys some manners. First, form a line. Noi: you get to be the Line Leader."

Emerald could instantly feel the tension in the air. Whatever Ava had just said, the Daemos did _not_ like it.

Well, one Daemos did. Noi's eyes were practically shining with joy. "M-m-meee?! Leader?!"

"Hey, why is Noi the Line Leader?!" Asch looked positively offended.

"I agree: it should be _me_!" Leif cut in.

"No one is going to be the Line Leader if you keep arguing!" Ava shouted.

"How can there not be a leader?" the Daemos prince drawled in frustration.

"Noi is the lowest-ranking among us, so you can see why it's an insult," Rhys explained.

"My line, my rules! Now, we're going to go to the park, and everyone is going to listen to me and Em! _Sheesh_!"

"Hey, Ava..." Emerald began.

_**"WHAT?!"**_

The older woman gave Ava a positively withering glare. "First off, watch it," she warned, appearing to bristle as she took a step closer. "I'm not one of your former classmates, so don't you _dare_ talk to me like that. Second of all, I think we need to have a bit more sensitivity to some of their customs. It's probably pretty confusing and scary to be in an entire new world where you don't understand anything around you, so try to have a little more patience. Lastly, they're not children: you need to stop treating them like they are."

"Okay, okay, I get it." Ava put her hands up. She had a feeling both of them were a bit cranky from lack of sleep and were one argument away from something serious.

Emerald sighed, rubbing her eyes. "Sorry, I'm just... out of sorts from all the schedule interruptions." She gave the smaller woman a sheepish grin. "Maybe we can order some pizza tonight?"

Ava smiled back, accepting the peace offering. "That sounds pretty good." She looked around at the Daemos, who were all staring at them with a variety of expressions on their faces. "Thank _God_ no one goes to the park these days... "

* * *

"WHY ARE THERE SO MANY PEOPLE HERE AT THE PARK?!"

"Oh, you meant this park." Emerald looked around at all the people, then glanced sideways at Ava. "I mean, I run by this place three times a week: I could've told you they revitalized it a few months ago... "

"Not. Helping. Oh, this isn't good." She took a deep breath. "Alright: everyone, stick close and - "

"Aaand they're gone."

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!" Ava began panicking as she flung her gaze around, taking in the Daemos and all the trouble they were already getting into.

"Hey, calm down." Emerald grabbed her by the shoulders, bending down to look her in the eye. "You set up the picnic stuff and go get Leif, Asch, and Noi. I'll hunt down Rhys and Pierce."

"How are we going to get them to stay put?!"

"I don't know... tell them you put another 'death spell' on the blanket or something. They'll probably buy it."

The smaller woman nodded, calming down now that there was a plan. The two women split up on their respective missions. Ava quickly spread the blanket down under a nearby tree, then ran towards Leif who had knocked over a garbage can and was digging through the contents. "What are you doing?!"

"I am looking for the Vitamin D," he replied calmly.

"It's in the sun! Did you not listen to what I said?!"

"Oh. Right." He laughed. "Whatever. Pushing down these trash cans is fun! Look at the horror it causes on the humans' faces!" He pointed at two nearby women, one of whom was covering the other's eyes with her hand as if to shield her from something far more scandalous than a knocked-over trash can.

"Leif! This way!" Ava ran up and grabbed him by his shirt, trying to pull him back towards the blanket. "Trying" being the operative word.

"You can't drag me!"

"Just _follow_!"

Oddly enough, Leif decided to listen for once, coming along and allowing himself to be sat on the picnic blanket. "See this? It's a magical barrier, much like my Cray-o-la Magic. If you leave it without my permission, you die." Hoping the threat would be enough, Ava turned and started towards the playground tower where she'd last seen Asch and Noi.

Leif sighed. "I hate this. But I do enjoy the thrill of my life being in danger. Heh-heh."

* * *

As Emerald approached Rhys, she overheard him talking to the children near the ice cream truck. "I see. The ice cream man brings you these? May I have that ice cream, then?"

"Uh... sure!" The child in the red hoodie got a mischievous gleam in his eye. "You just gotta pay me for it."

"But... I don't have any."

The older woman chose that moment to intervene. "You don't want that one, Rhys: it's already been opened." She gently took his arm, leading him away. "C'mon, I'll buy you a fresh one from the truck over there." His eyes sparkled as she handed him the Derpy-Eyed Munchie Bear Pop, making her smile softly. "Let's get you back to the others. Okay?"

As Rhys walked in front of her, Emerald made sure to nudge the red hoodie kid _just enough_ to make him lose his balance. He fell over, dropping his ice cream in the process. "_That's for trying to take advantage of him,_" she whispered as she passed by.

Once he was sitting down on the blanket, she sighed. "You can't just take things from kids, or other people in general. They might take advantage of you." She turned, scanning the park until she saw Pierce. "I'll teach you more about that later," she called over her shoulder as she jogged away.

* * *

Asch and Noi were speaking to two small children in the tower of the playground. "Show us this sacred... 'dance' you speak of," the former demanded softly.

"Sacred? Pfft," the girl scoffed. "You're weird AF, mister. It's popular!"

"Yeah, and it goes like this!" The boy proceeded to perform a very enthusiastic version of the Floss, much to the amazement of the Daemos. They were so enraptured, they didn't notice Ava's approach.

"Whoa!" Noi shouted in wonder. "How did he do that?!"

"My eyes... couldn't keep up... " Asch murmured.

"Forget what you saw and I better not catch you two doing that in my apartment!" Ava growled softly. She quickly led them back to the blanket, relieved to see Rhys with Leif.

The latter laughed. "She got you guys, too!"

Ava sighed in frustration. "Okay, here: you guys can eat the sandwiches and musubi we packed, and I got you guys some milk boxes. You guys just stay here and drink your milk, while I go see if Emerald needs any help getting Pierce back over." As she ran off, she called over her shoulder. "Stay there, and remember: if you leave, you _die_!"

"I hate this," Asch muttered in annoyance.

* * *

Emerald definitely did _not_ need Ava's help. She had successfully located Pierce, who was watching two old men play chess. He seemed fascinated by the game, watching intently as if absorbing tactical plans.

"Oh, Emerald," the grey-haired man greeted her.

"Tell Ava I'm voting for her dad," the other spoke up.

"I'm sure he'll appreciate that, Mr. Green." She turned to the Daemos. "Hey Pierce, the others are waiting for us back with Ava. Don't you want to come join us?"

"I am watching them plan war." His face was a mask of concentration.

"For the last time, it's chess! Oh whatever, I guess you don't need to be that smart when you look that good." Mr. Green chuckled. "Oh, I miss my youth... "

"Technically, he's not wrong," Emerald offered. "Chess is basically a war game, with the different pieces being used for a variety of strategies - "

"Wait, you know this young man, Emerald?" the other senior interrupted. "Oh wait... is this your boyfriend?"

"I'm a man," Pierce declared stoically.

"What is a man?!"

Mr. Green chuckled again. "Careful: your senile is showing."

"At this point, it's just a free show."

"Oh, Emerald, do Ava's parents know about your friend here?"

The woman laughed nervously. "He's just a friend, and we're going now! C'mon Pierce." She nodded to the seniors. "See you later Mr. Green, Mr. Dracula." Emerald practically sprinted away from them, Pierce following closely.

Once they had gone a fair bit, she stopped and turned to the Daemos. "Pierce, why did you wander off? I'd expect that from everyone _except_ you."

"I was going to help contain the others, but I got... distracted."

Emerald sighed tiredly. "It's... it's fine."

"Are you angry with me?"

"I'm not really angry. Just a little disappointed." She gave a quick glance around the park. "But from the looks of things, Ava managed to wrangle the others. At least they're not causing any problems right now and that's what counts."

Pierce studied her closely. "Do you care for us?"

For once, Emerald was caught completely off guard. "Huh?"

"Do you... care for us? Even though we're... Daemos?"

"Uh, odd thing to throw at me, but uh... I mean, I guess I never really questioned that." She chuckled nervously. "I mean, I don't care for many people so what makes you think I care for you guys?"

"Why do you keep us with you, then? Daemos don't normally tolerate those who cannot benefit them in some way." Emerald didn't answer, and as the silence stretched out between them, Pierce asked her again. "Why do you keep us?"

"Well, you know... you're sort of holding me and Ava prisoner, and I don't want anything bad to happen to her." She paused. "And, if what you guys have said about your world is true, then you're all just trying to find a new home for your people. It wouldn't be good if you guys got hurt because you didn't understand something."

"Why do you care?"

"It wouldn't be the... responsible thing to do." Emerald murmured out the last part so softly, Pierce wasn't sure if he had heard her correctly.

"Responsible?"

"Yeah. I mean, to be honest, I don't completely believe the story you guys told about a 'monster' about to devour your world. But, I do believe something bad is happening and you're desperate." She sighed. "It's not just about you guys. I don't want anyone else to get hurt, either. Not if there's something I can do to prevent it."

"So, you are trying to protect everyone."

"Heh." Emerald avoided his gaze. "'Trying' being the operative word here."

"What do you mean?"

"The only way I can keep everyone somewhat safe is to put Ava directly in danger. I promised her parents I would look after her, keep her safe and get her set up with a proper 'single young woman' life, then you guys show up and suddenly everything is a lot more complicated and it's just..." She stopped and took a shaky breath. "It's a lot to keep track of."

Pierce paused, his face a mask of concentration. "You... take on a lot of responsibility."

"Yeah, well... someone has to," Emerald chuckled weakly.

"What about you?"

"Huh?"

"What about you?" he repeated patiently. "Do you not have things you would like to do?"

Emerald gave him a hard look, all signs of her earlier weakness evaporating. "All that really matters right now is making sure Ava is happy and can go out and live her own life. I don't want her to be alone if - "

Pierce waited for her to go on, confused when she didn't. "If what?"

Emerald lifted her glasses, wiping her arm harshly across her eyes before lowering them back down. "Nothing," she said, plastering on the smile Pierce was beginning to suspect was not an honest one. "C'mon, we'd better get back to Ava and the others. She's probably going nuts wondering where we are."

As if on cue, Ava appeared by her side. "Here you are! What's taking so long? I had to leave the other four alone to hunt you two down."

"We were just coming." Emerald ruffled the shorter woman's hair. "Were they all being good boys for you?" she teased.

Neither woman noticed Pierce lost in thought, before he shook his head and followed after them.

* * *

Ava was relieved to see the other four Daemos sitting peacefully on the picnic blanket. "Oh, you guys are all still alive and not causing problems. All right!" She knelt down and made odd "Vzhwee-wee-wee" sounds as she moved her hands over the blanket. "Okay, I just lifted the curse on the blanket so you guys can move around a little if you want. But _don't_ go running off, or I'll put it back on."

Emerald sighed in relief as she sat down next to them, reaching in to pull a musubi from the basket. "Pierce, come sit down," she called, indicating an open spot next to her. "I'll get you a snack from the basket, if you'd like."

It seemed almost as soon as he sat down, Ava was motioning them all to stand up. "Oh no, we gotta go home!"

"Seriously, Ava?" The taller woman gave her a tired look. "What's the matter now?"

"Mr. Green is here and he's a huge supporter of my dad's campaign and if he sees me with you guys, that will just - "

"You know, it's okay to have friends who are guys." She laid down on the blanket, putting her hands behind her head and closing her eyes. "Besides, I'm here with you: that should be enough to squelch any ideas he might have."

"_Or_ he might get the same idea as Mrs. Oates and think we're both wild sex machines."

Emerald cracked one eye open. "How?"

"Oh, I don't know: maybe the fact that you're lying down on a blanket in the middle of _five hot guys?_"

"Out in a public park, in the middle of the afternoon." She closed her eye again. "You can freak out if you want to, but I'm going to catch a little sun and a quick nap."

Ava stood fretting for a while. Eventually, the sight of all five Daemos enjoying the snacks while Emerald lay peacefully among them convinced her. She sighed and sat down next to the basket, making sure not to sit directly on the blanket. "Fine, but now you owe me _two_ pizzas."

Emerald didn't answer: she was already fast asleep.


	8. Chapter Seven - Worst Case Scenario

_This is a work of fanfiction. All characters (except Emerald) belong to Aphmau / Jessica Bravura._

_Cover Art belongs to Aphmau / Jessica Bravura._

_Please don't sue me._

_*Contains one mid-level and one top-tier cuss word. Shield your eyes, children!*_

* * *

Emerald was getting another cup of tea in lieu of lunch when she heard knocking at the front door. The Daemos were all up and about, already changed into their "human clothing" just in case there was another trip outside the apartment. A quick glance at Ava's closed door let her know the younger woman probably wasn't even up yet, so she started the kettle and went to answer.

Mrs. Oates stood there, holding an ancient-looking camera in her hands. "Oh, Emmy! I hope I didn't interrupt your work..."

"No, I was just taking a lunch break." Emerald stared openly at the machine. "Is that... a folding half-plate camera?"

"Yes. I never really got the hang of those modern cameras you youngsters like so much, so I just use this one. But it hasn't worked for a while, so I was hoping you could take a look at it when you have a chance."

"I can _try_, but I don't really know how much help I'll be."

Mrs. Oates smiled. "Oh, I'm sure you can figure it out. You do so much work with computers for your job, and you had all those years in the Air Force - "

"Okay, yeah, I'll see what I can do," Emerald interrupted, shifting uncomfortably.

Mrs. Oates shot her a sympathetic look as she handed over the camera. "Oh, I'm sorry, dear. I forgot you don't like to talk about that time."

"It's... it's okay, Mrs. Oates." Emerald forced out what she hoped was a friendly smile. "I'll let you know when it's ready."

"Of course. And here." The elder woman held out a small wad of cash. "I know it hasn't been easy helping Ava get on her feet, especially now that you have five extra 'guests' staying with you."

She took it, looking away as she blushed slightly. "You really don't have to do this, Mrs. Oates. I can manage on my own."

"Oh, I know you can Emmy." She patted Emerald's arm fondly. "Just let an old lady have her little indulgences, won't you?"

Her smile felt a little easier this time. "Okay. I'll try to get it done by this evening."

"Thank you, dear."

Emerald closed the door, hauling the camera into the living room and setting it up on its tripod near Ava's computer before going back to the laundry room to fetch her toolbag. The Daemos continued to ignore her as they usually did, instead busying themselves around the apartment. Pierce, Rhys, and Noi were all currently in the kitchen, sitting on the floor and trying to look like they _weren't_ waiting for the water to boil so they could ask for some more of the "tea". Leif was having a staring contest with Johnny Cat on the couch, while Asch was scowling impatiently near Ava's bedroom door.

Emerald put the tools near the camera, then looked at her watch and sighed. "I should probably get Ava up."

* * *

Ava stared openly at the camera. "This... is a relic."

Apparently _that_ was today's magic word for the Daemos, since they all immediately focused on the smaller human. "A relic?!" Rhys gasped as all three Daemos in the kitchen popped up like groundhogs.

"Is it powerful?!" Asch asked hungrily.

"Can it kill someone?!" Leif sounded positively homicidal.

"It's gonna kill _me_ with how complicated this thing is gonna be to fix," Emerald sighed. She knew pretending Ava was an "all-powerful sorceress" was important to their survival, but being treated like a ghost in her own home was really starting to wear on the taller woman's nerves.

However, the tide seemed to be turning in her favor. Rhys stared at her, starry-eyed. "You can fix a relic?!"

"If I can figure how to manipulate Google search terms, yes." She sighed again. "Mrs. Oates brought this over and asked me to fix it for her. She's paid me a lot to fix it." Emerald turned to the camera and began poking around the sides, trying to see if she could find the manufacturer's plate to get an idea on where to start.

Ava took over the conversation. "She's probably going to use it to take pics of you guys, which I'm sure we could charge her for, since you guys live here and stuff... " she trailed off thoughtfully.

"Why does she want that?" Leif interrupted.

"Because in her _stupid_ fantasy, she thinks you guys are our boyfriends and at this point, I'm tired of fighting her. She's old, you know, and close to... death? And I really like her, so if anyone asks, just tell them you're our boyfriends or whatever. It'll also keep Mrs. Oates asking us for stuff so we can earn money."

"It's funny: elder humans here don't seem to be as terrifying as Lady Grandma." Leif sounded simultaneously cocky and curious.

Emerald kept working, only vaguely aware of their conversation. There seemed to be some sort of argument about someone's grandmother who was actually named "Lady Grandma." It made her wonder about the naming conventions on Daemos and whether there was some sort of translation error occurring. She made a mental note to talk to Rhys about it later: of all the Daemos, he seemed to be the most educated.

"Just finish fixing this relic!" Asch ordered impatiently. "I want to see how it works."

"God, could you just _shut up_?" the taller woman snapped, fixing the Daemos prince with a glare.

Ava stared at her. "Uh, Em? Are you sure you're okay? You've been super on edge today."

"Oh gee, could that have anything to do with the fact we now have five guys living with us that your parents know nothing about and will inevitably blame _me_ for just because I'm supposed to be the 'responsible one,' even though no one here seems to listen to a single _goddamn_ thing I say?!"

"It's like you said yesterday: it's okay to have friends who are guys. If we're careful, my parents will never find out they don't actually, you know, _leave_."

"Are you sure about that? Because I've been getting texts since last night from your Pop asking me about the 'horny guys' in your Instagram pictures!"

Now it was Ava's turn to look panicked. "What did you tell him?!"

"Nothing! I literally have not answered any of his texts because one: I've been super busy trying to get my work done and two: I had no idea what you wanted me to tell him, and you decided to sleep half the day away."

The two women stared at each other, neither willing to break the silence first. Finally, Ava caved. "Alright, it's not as bad as you think. I'll go text Pop and see if I can throw him off the trail. Just focus on fixing the camera for now. Okay?"

Emerald closed her eyes, taking a few shaky breaths. Eventually, she opened them again. "Okay. Why don't you go get dressed while I get started on this?" She looked around at the Daemos, her gaze settling on Rhys. "Would you like to take a look? It ain't gonna hurt ya'."

Like a child given free reign in a candy store, he practically leapt forward and began examining the camera. Ava barely managed to dodge him as she went to her bedroom to get dressed. "It's fascinating: there are so many runes inside of it."

"Those aren't runes: they're called gears and bolts and screws, among other things." Emerald opened her toolbag, pulling out a few small screwdrivers.

"What are those?"

"They hold stuff together and make things work, is the best way I can describe them." The woman watched him, noticing how he kept narrowing his eyes as he studied the device. "You squint a lot."

"Some things are hard for me to make out," he confessed.

"Hmm... " Emerald paused, thinking before she took off her glasses. "Do me a favor: try these on."

"What will they do?"

"They might help you see better, so you don't have to squint at everything. If they work, I have a second pair I can let you use."

Rhys gently took the glasses, staring at them in confusion. "How do they work?"

"Just put them on your face, like you've seen me do." The woman pantomimed what she usually did.

He carefully copied her, blinking in confusion once they were settled on his face. "M-my eyes... I can see better!"

Emerald nodded. "I thought that might be the case. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that you needed glasses. Wait here while I get you my back-up pair. They're a little older, but my prescription hasn't changed much so they should still work for you." She quickly returned, taking her original glasses back and placing the new pair on his face. "There you go."

Rhys knelt in front of her. "You may not have magic like Sorceress Ava, but you truly are a wise sage. I thank you for your assistance."

Emerald found herself blushing slightly. "Hey, come on, you don't need to do that. I'm just glad I was able to help." She grabbed his arm, trying to pull him to stand back up. "Just promise me you won't break those. I have contact lenses, but I really don't like wearing them if I don't have to."

He gave her a curious look as he got back to his feet. "What are those?"

"They're like glasses, but the lenses are much smaller and fit directly over your eyeball." She shuddered a little, before she noticed she still had her hand on Rhys's arm. She let go as if she'd been burned. "I don't really like having to put things near my eyes, so I prefer glasses."

Ava chose that moment to return, dressed and ready to assist. "Oh, you gave Rhys your extra glasses?"

"It seems we have similar eyesight." Emerald gave her a sheepish grin, desperate to change the subject. "Ready to help me get this thing working again? I think I found the manufacturer's plate with all the info we'll need."

* * *

Andrew looked up at the apartment building with worry. "Maybe we should've called before we showed up. You know how antsy Emerald is when she gets unexpected visitors."

Devon scoffed. "Darling, you know our baby girl Ava secretly loves surprises! I'm sure Emerald will be fine with it."

"Ava _faints_ when surprised. Besides, it sounds like your excuse to catch her off guard to see if she has this supposed boyfriend that you say you saw in her Instagram."

"No!" The flat stare from Andrew was enough to trip him up. "Maybe... look, this is our _baby_ we're talking about. I texted Emerald the other day and haven't heard anything back. Then Ava texted me today denying she even had one, so that leads me to believe she's probably up there being held against her will to make an account in order to sell the _weed_ or something!"

Andrew chuckled. "You're just mad she didn't follow you back."

"That's beside the point! Look, I've seen it before: first, she denies she's doing anything bad. Then the next thing you know, she's using her rent money to buy a trailer and go out in the middle of the desert to - "

"You just described _Breaking Bad_."

"It could happen!"

"Do I have to cancel the Netflix subscription again? Because every time you get invested in a show, you get paranoid it's secretly happening under your nose, then I get paranoid that you may be right."

"Because I usually am! Just think about it: Jake told us Ava hadn't paid her half of the rent this month, and we just paid it for her like we usually do. Plus, she hasn't had a job in a while, so maybe Emerald started to get desperate and - "

"I think you're overthinking this too much. Let's just go talk to them and - "

"No, wait... what if Ava - " Devon gasped in horror. " - _is making videos_?!"

"What, YouTube videos?" Andrew scoffed. "Please. There's no way Emerald would let her do that in the apartment. Besides, our baby wouldn't sink _that_ low to - "

"No. I mean, when I found the account, I saw a lot of... guys on the account, and she deleted the pictures, and - "

A look of horror crossed Andrew's face as he got caught up in his husband's paranoia. "Ava! We're coming, pumpkin!"

* * *

"And... fixed!" Emerald stretched, trying to work the knot out of her back from bending over the camera for so long.

"Cool! Let me see!" Noi began to rush forward.

"Don't touch it!" The taller woman paused, realizing her tone of voice. "Sorry, but this particular type of camera uses glass plates instead of film. It's stupidly easy to ruin the photo before you even get a chance to take it. Just... leave it alone."

"I'm really interested to get our camera taken by this camera," Rhys added.

Ava snorted. "It's called a 'photo', and you know what? I... kinda wanna take a picture, too." She giggled. "I mean, we gotta test it before we give it back, right?"

"Can we all do a camera together?" Noi asked.

Asch puffed up aggressively. "Only one person can fit into the camera and it's going to be me!"

"No, _my_ camera got the most 'likes' last time!" Leif countered.

"Calm down," Emerald spoke up, trying to rein everyone in. "You can all take a photo together. Just _don't_ touch the camera: I'm not sure if Mrs. Oates has any spare photo plates in her apartment."

Ava scanned the room for the best place to take the picture. "Here, let's all pick up the couch on this side real quick and - "

Before she could even finish her sentence, Noi lifted the couch and held it over his head with one arm. "Where to?"

"W-wow," she stuttered in awe. "You're strong."

"Oh please, any of us can do _that_," Asch scoffed.

"Can you move it over there, Noi?" Emerald pointed to the area opposite where the couch had originally sat. "The light from the window won't reflect off Rhys's new glasses, but it'll give you guys some good lighting."

"You're not going to join us?" Ava asked as the smallest Daemos complied with the request.

She shook her head. "This type of camera doesn't come with a remote exposure button long enough to reach all the way over there. The only way you're getting a picture with all of you is if I stand back here and take it myself."

Soon enough, everyone was in position. Or at least, as close as they were going to be. Only Ava sat on the couch, the Daemos lined up along the back behind her. "You guys can sit with me, you know."

"No way, that bed is too soft," Leif complained.

Asch glared at him. "_I_ was the one who had to sleep on it."

"The floor was better to sleep on," Noi chimed in.

"Sitting was better, though," Rhys argued.

"I prefer to stand," Pierce muttered.

"Okay, you guys don't like the couch. I get it." Emerald sighed, exasperated. "Just look pretty and smile." She bent down, carefully centering the camera lens. "Say 'Cheese'." Almost at the exact same moment she clicked the shutter, she heard the front doors of the apartment burst open.

"Pumpkin!" Andrew cried out behind her.

"Dad! Pop! This isn't what it looks like!" Ava screamed in panic.

Emerald backed up against wall near the fireplace, trying to fold the camera tripod as she did so. After all that work, she was _damned_ if she was going to let it get damaged now. It was also about the only thing she could control at the moment, and she clung to it like a lifeline.

"Get away from our baby!" Andrew growled, staring down the Daemos.

"You demons! She's our sweet innocent baby girl!" Devon leapt forward, suffocating Ava in a protective hug. "Do you not have a sense of moral responsibility?!"

"We aren't demons, we're Daemos!" Leif shouted back indignantly.

Andrew pulled out his phone. "I'm calling the police."

"Andrew, Devon, please let me explain!" Emerald cried out desperately. This was literally the worst way for the two men to find their daughter.

Devon glared at her. "How dare you make her resort to this! I understand you military types have a looser sense of morals, but I would have thought you'd have the decency to leave Ava out of your depraved scheme!"

"I-I-I... "

"This is what we get for expecting someone like _you_ to look after our baby girl! If you were short on money, all you had to do was ask instead of pimping out our daughter!"

Emerald found herself unable to form a response. She'd had a feeling Devon wasn't entirely comfortable with the current living arrangement, but to accuse her of selling Ava to strangers...

Ava was trying her hardest to direct the focus away from Emerald. "It's not like that, Pop! I - "

Asch glared at the two men, summoning a fireball. "Let my prisoners go, or I'll - "

"Did he just... " Devon trailed off.

" - create fire?" Andrew finished for him, dropping his phone in shock.

"Oh no," Emerald murmured. "Leif, knock them out!"

The former assassin was quick to comply... perhaps too quick. In addition to laying out Andrew and Devon, he dropped Ava as well.

"_**Why did you hit Ava**_?!" She sounded hysterical.

"You said 'them'!"

"Perhaps she misspoke," Rhys interjected. "She looks rather petrified."

"Oh God oh God oh Jesus _fucking_ Christ!" Emerald stared down at the unconscious bodies, her breathing ragged. She retreated until her back hit the wall by Ava's room, sliding down until she was sitting. She dropped the camera to the floor as she curled up, wrapping her arms tightly around her legs and hugging them like an anaconda. "How am I going to fix this I can't fix this there's no way they're going to believe anything I say I am in _so much trouble_ \- "

Emerald stopped short, her breathing turning into rapid, squeaky gasps as she began to shake.

Pierce had an idea about what was happening to her. Once again, it was something he had seen in soldiers back on Daemos. He acted instinctually, kneeling down in front of her and trying to get the woman to meet his eyes. "Emerald," he called softly, gently grasping her shoulder.

She didn't appear to hear him, her chest hitching with each breath.

"Leif, wake Ava. I think she is the only one who can calm Emerald now."

Rhys nodded, motioning for the former assassin to follow the instructions as he stepped closer. "Pierce, do you know what is happening?"

"I believe she is panicking because those two humans saw us."

Leif quickly awakened Ava, who coughed harshly as she sat up. "Wha... what happened? What the _hell_ \- "

"No time. Fix Emerald."

"Fix Em... " Ava gasped when she saw the older woman lying on her side, practically folding herself in half as Pierce tried to sit her up. "Oh _shit_!" She slid over, nudging the large Daemos to the side. "Sit behind her, give her something solid to focus on."

Pierce complied, maneuvering his large frame into the small space between Emerald and the wall. He sat and stretched his legs out on either side of her, then placed his hand on her shoulder while he waited for direction from Ava.

Meanwhile, Ava sat in front of Emerald. She carefully put her hands on the sides of the woman's face, trying to get her to make eye contact. "Hey, Em? I know it feels really good to curl up into a gaspy ball right now, but I need you to try to straighten up. Can you do that for me?"

Emerald shook her head, gasping.

Ava sighed, looking at Pierce. "Can you straighten her out? She'll breathe better if you can get her sitting up."

"Okay." Pierce pulled Emerald's upper body out of the curly ball, holding her upright against his chest with his left arm. His right hand pushed down on her thighs, straightening her legs. Emerald made a small pain noise in response.

"I know, I know," Ava soothed, stroking the woman's cheek with her thumb. "Try and slow your breathing. Stop being a gaspy girl and be Em again."

Gradually, Emerald began to calm down. She kept her eyes on Ava, aware of Pierce's solid presence behind her as she struggled to control her breathing. As her breath returned, she began babbling out apologies. "sorrypleasedon'tbemadI'msosorry - "

"Hey, it's okay." Ava gave her a small smile, putting on a brave face even though she felt just as panicked at the moment. "Why don't we have Pierce take you to calm down for a while, and I'll have the others help me get my parents outside. I'll do the same thing we did with Jake when he came in here, and everything will work out. Sound good?"

The taller woman gave a tiny nod. She was still breathing a bit fast, but it wasn't as gaspy and would have to do for now.

"Pierce, can you take Em to her room and stay in there with her? She shouldn't be alone right now. Shut the door and I'll tell my parents she's busy with work or something so you two won't be disturbed for a while."

"Okay." The large Daemos stood, lifting Emerald up in his arms in one fluid motion.

"W-wait!" She looked desperately at Ava. "Are... are you s-sure you - ?"

"Yes, just go!"

Pierce moved quickly down the hall, disappearing into Emerald's room as he closed the door behind him.

As soon as they were out of sight, Ava's calm facade fell away. She turned back to the remaining guys. "Quick, help me get them outside the door!" Once Andrew and Devon were in the hallway, she closed the front doors of the apartment. "Pleaseplease_please_, let this work a second time!" She glanced back at the Daemos. "You guys need to get out of here, now! If my parents see me with you guys after that, they won't believe what I'm about to tell - I mean, they'll kill you! They're just way too powerful: you've angered them!"

As the Daemos ran in panic towards their portal, Ava called after them. "Take the camera and hide it!"

* * *

Pierce looked around Emerald's bedroom, trying to decide where the best place for her to rest would be. Her bed seemed a bit too obvious: if he lay her down, she might try curling back up and he didn't want her to get hurt again. Speaking of which...

"_Are you okay_?" he whispered, keenly aware they needed to be quiet. "_I did not mean to hurt you earlier_."

"_I'm... fine_," she gasped, still trying to come down from the remnants of her panic attack.

"_Where would you like to go_?"

"_... bed is... fine._"

As Pierce began to lower her onto the mattress, he was surprised to feel her tighten her grip on his neck. "_What is wrong_?"

"_D-don't... don't let go..._"

He hesitated for only a moment before sitting on her bed, his back centered on the headboard. As before, he splayed his legs out straight on either side of Emerald, sitting her upright between them. He carefully wrapped his arms loosely around her waist to give her a focal point, leaving her arms free.

"_Wha-what_?" The woman looked down in confusion. "_Are you..._?"

"_I will sit here_," the Daemos whispered. "_But we must be quiet_."

Emerald carefully leaned back against him, closing her eyes as she tried to calm her breathing. Surprisingly, it was easier this time. She felt Pierce behind her, his own breathing deep and steady. As she slowed her breaths to match his, she found herself feeling better.

Tentatively, Pierce reached up one hand and gently stroked her hair. Just as before, he felt her tense briefly before relaxing. After a few moments, she actually began to lean into his touch. "_You and Ava seem to enjoy when I do this_," he observed quietly.

She chuckled without humor. "_I think we're both a bit touch starved these days_."

They settled into a comfortable silence, until Noi's voice rang out from the hallway. "I'm her boyfriend!"

* * *

Devon gasped in delighted awe. "My baby has a...!"

"Pumpkin... " Andrew broke out in a wide grin. "Why didn't you tell us sooner?!"

Devon approached Noi, his face a beacon of joy. "You have no idea! I was so worried about our baby. She had a hard time making friends in school and I - "

"You're oversharing again, dear... "

"Dad, Pop, uhm..." Ava trailed off and gave a nervous laugh as they both stared at her. '_Oh no. If I tell them otherwise, Noi will take things literally and ask me why I'm telling them something different! And my dads aren't stupid: they'll catch on!_' "Yeah. He's my... boyfriend."

"Well, when were you going to introduce us?" He laughed easily, holding out his hand. "I'm Andrew. Nice to meet you."

"And I'm Devon! We're Ava's parents."

"You... both?" Noi stared in confusion at the two men.

"Uh, yes... " Andrew lowered his hand, his earlier laugh sounding a bit apprehensive.

"I have two dads, Noi."

"Really? How is that... is that why you're so strong?"

"Darling, he thinks we raised a strong baby!"

"Well, it looks like my husband's taken a liking to you," Andrew chuckled.

Noi gasped happily. "Ava, your parents like me! _But do they fear me_?" he whispered under his breath.

"What?"

Ava laughed nervously. "Hahaha, he's so cute! Hahaha... "

"Hey, uh, how about we all go out for pizza?" Andrew suggested, shifting the topic with a practiced easy.

"That's a great idea!"

"Um, I... uh." Ava stuttered, trying to stall. '_There's no way Em is feeling well enough to even see my parents yet, let alone go out with them in public_!'

"Come on, pumpkin. We'll go to your favorite pizza place... on us... "

"My favorite?! '_Oh no, it'll be even more suspicious if I turn them down, especially after they offered to pay_!' "Uh... sure! Just give me a moment to freshen up, alright?"

Andrew and Devon exited the apartment to wait in the hallway, talking quietly. "Do you think we made a good first impression?" the latter asked worriedly.

"I hope so."

* * *

Ava practically broke down Emerald's door, Noi right on her heels. "Okay, I know you're not feeling well right now, but do you think you could pull it together long enough to come to dinner with me and - " All words died on her lips as she stared at the scene in front of her.

Pierce and Emerald were sitting on the side of the bed, the latter doubled over holding her stomach with both arms. She appeared to be shaking.

"Oh my God, Em!" Ava felt like she teleported to the woman's side, falling heavily on her knees. "What's wrong? Are you okay?!"

"She has been like this ever since we heard Noi say he was your boyfriend," Pierce explained, looking concerned. He hand rested on Emerald's back, where he could feel her convulsing lightly.

Suddenly, the older woman threw back her head and barked out a loud laugh. Everyone stared at her in stunned disbelief, the two Daemos looking slightly frightened.

"Were... were you trying to keep yourself from _laughing_ this whole time?!" Ava started blushing.

"I'm... I'm sorry... " Emerald hiccuped, more giggles spilling out. "It's just... of all the Daemos who could've... met your parents first... it was the adorable little cinnamon bun!" Another wave of laughter erupted.

Noi looked sadly offended. "You... you don't fear me?"

"Sweetie, you _live_ with me. I've seen the silly little ways _all_ of you Daemos interact with our world. Except for the first two days when all of us were getting used to each other, it's actually been kinda nice having you guys here." She met Ava's eyes, her expression sobering quickly. "... well, up until today."

Ava sighed. "I know, I know. We'll talk about it later. But for now... " She grabbed Emerald's hand, trying to pull her to her feet. "We need to go tell the other guys what's happening, so you two need to come with us."

* * *

"What is going on?!" Asch growled impatiently.

Rhys looked concerned. "Noi was probably killed. Ava did say her parents were powerful."

Ava, Noi, Emerald, and Pierce all chose that moment to come through the portal. "Okay, here's the deal," the former announced. "My parents want to take Noi and I out to eat on a date, or something. I need you guys to hide his horns."

"A date?" Asch sounded oddly curious.

"Yes. It's a sacred ritual where... one, uh, judges if they wanna... be with that person."

"What does that mean?" Pierce asked.

A look of understanding passed over Rhys. "Wait... like courting with Noi?!"

"WHAT?!" Asch looked positively indignant.

Now it was Ava's turn to look confused. "What's _that_ mean?"

"Prisoners, leave!" the Daemos prince ordered. "We need to talk."

Leif made a move as if to grab Ava, but Emerald blocked him. "We're perfectly capable of walking ourselves out," the latter said, fixed him with a glare. "C'mon, Ava. I can fill you in on what 'courting' means."

Once the human women were gone, Rhys rushed forward and hid Noi's horns before leveling a serious look at him. "Noi, I can't believe we're trusting you with this, but you need to listen. This. Is. Important. If you can get married to Ava, then we can get the humans to give us their magic."

"R-really?"

"Lady Bish married into our family and gave us her magic." Asch seemed thoughtful. "It must work the same here as well."

"You need to win the approval of her parents, but also you cannot tell any of them about Daemos. Her parents seem wise: they may know about our world. We cannot risk that."

"So what do I do?!"

"Don't screw it up!" Asch shouted.

"It should be me getting a chance at Ava!" Leif interjected.

"Watch your tongue, you - "

"Stop it now!" Rhys commanded. "Noi, if this mission is successful, we can possibly go home with the magic we need. Just listen to Ava and do not tell them _anything_ about us."

"Right!" Nodding, Noi rejoined Ava and Emerald outside the portal.

... well, Ava at least. "What happened?"

"Huh? Um, heh-heh, n-n-nothing! I - "

"Noi, listen: this is gonna be weird. Em's not coming with us. She said it'd be awkward after all that stuff my Pop said to her, which she can't confront him about because we agreed to... not talk about it." She sighed. "She also said she had some work to finish, and that it'd go a lot smoother if we just - "

"C'mon, pumpkin!" Devon called from the front door.

"Ah, shoot! Just... follow my lead."

Meanwhile, the other Daemos were already having doubts about the smallest Daemos's ability to complete his mission.

"Come," Asch commanded. "We're not letting Noi ruin this... "


	9. Chapter Eight - It Could Always Be Worse

_This is a work of fanfiction. All characters (except Emerald) belong to Aphmau / Jessica Bravura._

_Please don't sue me._

* * *

Cloud Kitty was resting peacefully on the kitchen counter when the sound of multiple Daemos running through the portal caught its attention, interrupting its nap. It gave a worried look as it stood, watching events unfold.

"Hold on a _moment_, Asch!" Rhys shouted, exasperated.

"What?!" Asch whirled around, coming to a stop outside Ava's bedroom door.

"We should trust Noi to court Ava."

"Why are we trusting Noi with such a task? This isn't something we can play around with here."

"Asch is right. It should be someone Asch can trust with Ava." Pierce sounded deadly serious.

"And the best person to trust would be myself."

"No, me!" Leif glared at the prince. "Noi hesitates to kill, and Asch, you haven't killed enough!"

"Do not challenge me, Leif. I - "

"Silence!" Rhys sighed. "I understand Noi is probably the lesser option on Daemos, but here on Ee-urth, Noi seems to have an advantage. Humans seem... less suspicious of him. Emerald certainly doesn't suspect any - "

"It doesn't matter! We're going to ensure Noi doesn't fail, or if he does, we take his place."

"How?!"

In one smooth motion, Asch hid his horns and faded from view. "Any more questions?" Hearing no immediate objections, the Daemos prince turned and stalked down the hallway.

"Your Majesty, do not use magic so recklessly! We can't - "

Leif let out a harsh laugh. "I'm _for_ this!" He copied Asch's actions, following close behind.

"Leif, no! We can't run out of - " Rhys cut himself off as he heard a now-familiar sound, turning to see Pierce had also gone translucent. "PIERCE?! You too?!" The bespectacled Daemos gave a loud cry of frustration before he too followed suit.

* * *

Emerald paused her music, taking off her headphones and listening intently: she was positive she'd heard one of the Daemos yelling outside. She sighed as she stood, opening her bedroom door. "C'mon, you guys. Would it _kill_ you to - "

The woman stopped short, surprised to see... absolutely nothing. No Daemos, no Ava or her parents, not even Johnny Cat or that weird fluffy-lavender cat-like "spirit". For the first time in what felt like forever, she was completely alone.

"Nope," Emerald declared, shutting her door and shoving her headphones back down over her ears. She kept whispering "_nope nope nopety-nope_" until her music resumed, drowning out the overwhelming silence.

'_I'm just going to assume they're all staying nice and quiet in their little portal room. If I can get this done, maybe I'll go to the restaurant and see how Ava's holding up_.' Feeling better with a plan, she focused on the article in front of her.

Just to be safe, she placed her phone face-up on the desk next to her keyboard. '_Hopefully Ava and Noi don't freak out and blow their cover_...'

* * *

"This is terrible! I have no idea how to be on a date, I've never been on one!" Ava stared down at her phone, frantically wondering if it was too late to text Emerald and demand step-by-step guidance. She stopped when she noticed Noi staring at her from the corner of her eye. "What?"

Blushing lightly, the smallest Daemos gave a small chuckle. "Thanks for choosing me."

"Huh?"

"It's just... I didn't think I would be trusted with something this important."

"I mean... I didn't really _choose_ you, you were just kind of... there."

"Just... tell me what to do."

"Just... follow along with what I say and do. Now look: my pop Devon is very into movies and fiction and stuff while my dad Andrew is very much like a politics kind of business guy, just very _boring_ and I don't understand what he says when he gets into his tangents about politics and stuff."

"Uhh..."

Ava sighed in frustration, cutting off a curse. "How can I explain this to you when you don't even know what any of that _means_?!" Ava blushed, reaching out. "J-just... hold my hand."

"Wha-WHAT?!"

"Hold my hand. It'll convince my dads we're together and in love and stuff."

Noi gasped loudly. "_L-love_?!"

* * *

Not one hundred feet away, the other Daemos were watching events unfold.

"What _are_ they doing?" Rhys wondered. Even with the glasses from Emerald, they were a bit too far away for him to get a good look.

Asch gasped softly. "Is Sorcerer Ava offering her power to Noi?!"

"Nonsense! Noi has far from won her approval. But still... I'm interested to see how this goes. Courting Ava was not an idea that had come to mind as an option. It also begs the question: would we be better off courting both Ava _and_ Emerald?"

* * *

"You aren't going to kill me, are you?" Noi was still hesitating to take Ava's hand in his own.

"Why would I do that, it - just - " She sighed again. "Trust me."

As soon as their fingers interlocked, both began to blush bright burgundy.

* * *

"What are they _doing_?"

Rhys did not miss the underlying anger in Pierce's voice. "Noi's turned completely red! Is she trying to kill him?!"

"FINALLY!" Leif cheered.

"No, he's still alive!" Asch seemed emotionally invested in the scene playing out before them.

* * *

"Why are you blushing?!" Ava demanded.

"Uh... is that what this is?" Noi was completely out of it. "Because... you're doing it too..."

"Just... tone it down before my dads see us! They'll think that we've never done this before and we're hand-holding virgins and - " She cut herself off, somehow blushing even more. "I-I mean noobs!"

"This is the first time I've ever touched someone like this..."

"R-really? M-me too..."

"Oh, d-did we interrupt something? I - " Devon cut himself off as he saw Noi and Ava's hands firmly locked together. He gasped, then leaned over to whisper to Andrew. "_Should I ask for a picture? Because this moment is too precious!_"

"_No!_" he whispered back fiercely. "_We have to be calm and cool, so he thinks we're hip._"

"_No one says 'hip' anymore, Andrew. You're gonna make us seem desperate and weird!_"

"You know, it's weird that you're standing right in front of us and whispering loudly." Ava glared at them, Noi's hand no longer in hers.

Andrew and Devon both gave small shouts of surprise, the former recovering first. "Heh, our apologies. We're just curious about... a lot of things."

The waiter chose that moment to come over and save them all from the situation. "Your table is ready," he purred smoothly in his accent. "I've gotten only the best for my best and most beautiful family of customers."

* * *

"Soo, Noi was it?" Devon immediately launched into the interrogation as soon as they were all settled in their seats.

The small Daemos gasped in surprise. "How did you know?!"

"Ava mentioned your name in the apartment." Andrew laughed easily.

"Oh... yeah! I did," Ava chuckled nervously. She glanced at her phone, typing under the table to see if there was any way Emerald could bail her out of this. She was so focused, she almost missed it when Devon asked Noi how the two of them met. '_Oh, shoot__! I should have gone over this with Noi instead of fawning over holding his hand!_'

"Oh, heh-heh, well you see, I met Sorceress Ava in the back of her home where no one could see us *mrph-bliblblb* - "

Ava slapped her hand over his mouth, cutting him off. "Whoops, you've got some pizza on you!" She chuckled nervously.

Andrew gave her a strange look. "But... we haven't even gotten the pizza..."

"Heh-heh, oh God, I'm so hungry, I didn't realize!" More nervous chuckles bubbled out as she frantically tried to come up with a cover story. "So, um... well, we met at the arcade... dance..."

"The... arcade dance...?"

"Uh... yeah. It was a masked ball, and I was wandering around the room and suddenly our eyes met and we didn't know who each other was... but we knew that we loved each other. And then we exchanged Instagrams because Noi d-didn't have a phone and... uh, yeah."

Devon gasped in amazement. "That sounds just like Romeo and Juliet!"

"Suspiciously similar to Romeo and Juliet," Andrew muttered, before smiling. "...but, that does explain why you made an Instagram account out of nowhere."

"It does? Oh yeah, wait, it _does_!"

"Interesting," Devon observed. "I thought you could only use Instagram _on_ the phone..."

Fortunately for Ava, the waiter decided to bring out their order at that moment. "Here you go!" he exclaimed, setting it down on the table. "One pepperoni pizza with your favorite, Ava: a smiley face."

Andrew smiled. "Thank you."

* * *

Right outside the front window, the other Daemos were trying to see what was happening.

"Ugh, this is no use," Rhys complained. "I can't hear a single thing going on!"

"Then we're going in," Asch growled as he headed towards the front door, Pierce and Leif hot on his heels.

"What? Wait!" Rhys rushed after them.

* * *

Just as Emerald was submitting the final document, her phone lit up. A quick glance showed a wall of frantic texts from Ava, demanding guidance for the date. The veteran read over them quickly. '_Yeah, this is going about as well as I thought it would_.'

She sighed, standing up and grabbing a pair of socks from her dresser as she left her room. As she pulled on her shoes and socks with one hand, she used the other to text Ava that help was on the way. '_Let's just hope this doesn't make everything even **more** awkward_.'

* * *

"_What is that?_" Noi stared in open wonder at the dish in front of him.

"_It's called 'pizza'_," Ava whispered. "_Just eat it and smile_."

Tentatively, he took a bite. "Whoa!" he exclaimed, finishing the first slice and shoveling three more into his mouth. "This is _delicious_!"

"Wow," Andrew chuckled in disbelief. "Uh... you have a large appetite, don't you?"

"And a large lack of manners," Devon added.

Ava laughed nervously. "Um, N-Noi! Let's, uh... let me show you where the bathroom is so you can clean up. Heh-heh."

"Bathroom? Hyurk!" Anything else Noi wanted to say was cut off as she grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and pulled him up to follow.

"I'm so happy for Ava!" Devon gushed. "But I have to admit, she's being really odd about this date."

"Eh, I honestly feel both of their behaviors are... perfectly normal. Remember when I introduced you to _my_ parents?"

"Oh God, that was awkward."

"Exactly! W-we just... need to give them time to adjust to us. But still..."

"Something on your mind?"

"I'd like to know if Ava has other friends as well. She's always kept to herself since middle school, and all those kids we tried to get her play dates with, uh, never really clicked with her. In fact, I think the only real 'friend' she's ever had is Emerald, and you know how rough _that_ whole thing started out."

"Let's... not worry about that right now. I'm just glad to know she has some kind of companionship in her life."

* * *

Ava led Noi into the bathroom, not even bothering to check if he would close the door behind them.

"Eh, this entire ordeal is a huge clusterf - "

"Whoa," Noi gasped softly. "What is _this_ room?"

"It's a bathroom, like the ones that we have at home." She quickly wet a paper towel and began to wipe off his face. "It's where people come to, uh... wash up. You know, like when Em and I put ourselves into water."

"Haha, oh, that thing you do when you take your clothes off!"

Ava gave him a flat glare. "Yeah. Uh... why is that the only detail you remember?"

"I guess because it's interesting. Daemos don't do that."

"You don't? Then... how do you get... clean?"

"We use magic."

"T-that is... odd to me, but you know what? You guys made a portal to another house in my apartment, so I'm not questioning it." Her phone went off, drawing her attention down. "Oh, thank _God_ Em answered me!" She became absorbed in reading and responding, so much so she almost missed what Noi said next.

"Do you love me, Ava?"

"What?!" She scrambled to keep her phone from falling out of her hands as she backed away, successfully shoving it into her pocket.

"Is love something humans care about?"

"Uh, I mean... isn't that something you guys care about?"

"It's not something we're _supposed_ to care about. That's why most Daemos don't fear me, so I have to work extra hard in order to prove myself." He sniffed. "I'm sure I would've been killed if Asch didn't spare me..."

"Wait... why would your own kind want to kill you?"

Noi gasped as he realized he'd revealed a little too much to her. "I-I-I mean, um..."

A knock on the door made both of them jump. "Hey, quit making out in there and hurry up! Some of us have to take a giant sh- "

"Shut up, I'll take as long as I want!" Ava yelled back, then sighed. "Come on, my parents are probably questioning what's taking us so long. Just... keep being hot."

"Hot?" If Noi was a puppy, his head definitely would have tilted to one side in confusion.

"I mean... keep being you! S-shut up, let's go!" Ava blushed as she ushered him out of the bathroom, shooting a glare at the woman waiting outside as they passed.

* * *

Andrew sighed tiredly. "What's taking them so long?"

"S-so sorry about that," Ava apologized as she and Noi returned to the table. "Long line at the bathroom."

"_There they are!_" Asch called out from behind Andrew and Devon.

"_Where did they go?!_" Rhys wondered aloud.

"So, uh, Noi. Tell me: what kind of job do you have?"

"Job?"

Leif looked at Rhys. "_What's a job?_"

"S-so Dad... how is your campaign going?"

"Haven't you been keeping up?"

"Uh, I mean... I've been busy looking for a job and stuff."

Andrew just gave her the classic "I'm not mad, I'm disappointed" look perfected by parents over millennia.

She cracked quickly. "Okay, _fine_, I haven't kept up. But Em's been giving me updates every now and then. At least, she does whenever I see her, which isn't always a lot because she's been so busy with work the last couple weeks. You know how it gets. Heh-heh-heh..."

He sighed. "Ava..."

Devon tried to head him off. "Darling, now isn't the time to - "

"You're gonna have to grow up someday, pumpkin. You should really care about - "

"What's a campaign?" Noi cut in.

Andrew reacted as if he'd been punched in the throat.

"Breathe, darling, _breathe_!" his partner comforted him, patting him on the back.

"Uh, Noi, my dad is running for City Council. It's like being the leader of a lot of humans, heh... "

"That's an odd way to describe it."

"_Did you hear that?!_" Rhys squeaked out.

"_Ava's father is the leader of all the humans!_" Asch's mind whirled with possibilities.

"_Which makes her..._" Leif trailed off.

Pierce finished the sentence for him. "_... a princess_."

"_Oh, that's it! Noi cannot have this opportunity!_" Asch began to make his way around the table towards Ava.

"_No! This is **my** chance!_" Leif growled, chasing after him.

"_You all need to stop! I -_ " Rhys cut himself off as he saw Pierce slip away to the other side. "_I'VE HAD ENOUGH! If **anyone** gets to control the humans through Ava, it's going to be **ME**!_"

By now, Andrew had recovered from his earlier shock. "Noi, if you're to be with my daughter, you must understand: in this family, we care about democra - "

Asch interrupted, appearing out of nowhere at Ava's side. "Ava, Noi is clearly a lesser suitor for you."

All three humans gasped.

"I would kill for her!" Leif declared angrily, appearing next to Asch.

"You both need to stop," Pierce warned darkly.

"Who are _these_ guys?!" Devon squeaked out in confusion.

"Ava! What's going on?!"

"I... uh... " The young woman made pitiful, confused noises as she tried to get the situation back under control. "Uh..."

"Allow me to introduce myself," Rhys cut in smoothly. "I'm Rhys, and - "

"Why are you all approaching her?!" Asch demanded angrily. "You're all traitors!"

"This is Ee-urth! You know what that means!" Leif shot back.

"Oh my God," Devon declared flatly, turning to Andrew. "A-are these guys fighting over our baby?"

"Ava... explain what's going on!"

It was all way too much for her to handle. As Ava felt herself pass out, she could've _sworn_ she heard Emerald's voice calling her name.


	10. Chapter Nine - It's Worse

_This is a work of fanfiction. All characters (except Emerald) belong to Aphmau / Jessica Bravura._

_Cover Art belongs to Aphmau / Jessica Bravura._

_Please don't sue me._

* * *

As Ava slowly came to, she could hear worried voices nearby.

"Ava! Ava, my baby, wake up!"

"Pumpkin?! Devon, this isn't good! She's been passed out longer than ever before!"

"I'm gonna call 911!"

Ava coughed, forcing her eyes open. "W-wait... I don't... need - "

"Pumpkin! Are you alright?!"

Devon stopped dialing, putting his phone away. "Oh God, we were so worried about you! You weren't coming to as fast as usual!"

"I am here to help!" the waiter announced, tossing a bucket full of water at the young woman with a cry.

Ava sat up, shivering. "Ahh! Cold..."

"Oh!" he laughed nervously. "She's awake..."

"Thank you for your assistance, Marco." Andrew gave him a short nod. "Uh, we can take it from here."

"Sure, sure. Pizza's on the house for this one. Just make sure Ava's alright. Are you positive you don't want me to call you an ambulance or anything?"

Devon shook his head. "No, this is common for Ava, but thank you though."

"Alright. What should I tell her boyfriend?"

"W-wait... N-Noi?!" Ava gasped. "Where is... oh no. Where are they?!"

"Emerald took them to wait outside. Also, Ava?" Andrew leveled a serious look at her. "You've got some explaining to do."

* * *

Asch glared angrily at his assembled Knights. "What is wrong with all of you? What possessed you to get in my way?!"

"Oh, I don't know... maybe it's the fact that Ava is a _sorcerer princess of humans_!" Leif refused to back off.

"I have to admit, I was a bit caught off guard hearing that." Rhys was calm as always. "Why do you think she would hide it from us?"

"Pressure, perhaps." Asch looked thoughtful, as if he understood her situation more than he was willing to let on.

"WHY ARE YOU GUYS INTRUDING ON MY MISSION?!" Noi screamed angrily.

Asch laughed. "_Your_ mission? You don't even - " He stuttered, suddenly flustered. "Wha - W-why do you care?"

"Because she's _mine_! This was my courting, and now you wanna take over?!"

"Noi, don't tell me you actually thought this was going to go far for you." Rhys managed to sound both mocking and sympathetic at the same time.

"I WAS GONNA _MAKE_ IT GO FAR!"

Leif barked out a mocking laugh. "Yeah, right."

"Do you think Princess Ava is okay?" Despite the protests of all the other Daemos, Pierce seemed to be the only one actually curious how the human was doing.

"I'm not sure. Her parents looked angry with us when they asked us to leave." Rhys paused, looking back towards the restaurant. Emerald was staring back at them, arms crossed over her chest. "Emerald does not appear too pleased either."

"I could've just used my magic to wake her," Leif bragged. "It worked last time."

"NO! Do you not remember - " Rhys scoffed. "Of course you don't remember." He sighed. "Ava and Emerald have constantly told us we cannot do our magic in front of the humans, or else we'll be taken to the Area 51. Remember Ava's father was about to call nine hundred and eleven warriors on us. Even Emerald panicked when she heard that order, and she is a warrior in her own right."

"They must have a powerful kingdom in order to summon that many warriors with their slabs." Asch was still lost in thought.

"Then it should be obvious why we all chimed in."

"Huh?"

"We aren't on Daemos anymore, _Prince Asch_." Leif's voice dripped with challenge. "It's fair to say that Ava is fair game for _any_ of us."

"_What_?!"

"Prince Asch, just because _Leif_ switches between loyalties does not mean he speaks for all of us." Rhys settled in for yet another explanation. "Allow me to explain: determined as you may be to obtain magic from Ee-urth, it may be possible Ava's parents won't allow you to marry her, which means it's better to have many options opposed to one."

Leif chuckled. "Exactly what Rhys said."

"SILENCE!"

"Our goal is to study human courtship and comply with it. Ava must marry one of us, and if possible, it needs to happen soon." Rhys paused, lost in thought. "I do not know if Emerald is a viable option for courtship."

Asch looked at him curiously. "What makes you say that?"

"If Ava is a princess, then that means Emerald serves her much as we do you, your Majesty. Ava's parents might be offended if we pursue both at the same time. It would also spread our own resources too thin: if we are to court a human, we should focus on Ava."

"Emerald has no magic," Pierce reminded them. "She told us she transferred it to Ava in order to better protect her."

"If one of us courts her, would Ava come to Daemos with us?" Noi gave Rhys a worried look.

He looked equally concerned, but didn't answer.

Noi blushed. "Wait... can humans and Daemos even - ?!"

The smallest Daemos was cut off as the doors of the restaurant flew open, Andrew leading the way. Emerald came over and spoke quietly to Ava, then gave her a quick hug before all four humans approached the group.

"She's all right, Noi," Andrew assured him, gesturing to Ava. "And friends...?"

"Ava, do you care to tell us what's going on?" Devon glanced at Emerald. "Or maybe you'd like to chime in."

"Um... well, you see..." Ava stalled, hoping the older woman would swoop in and take over.

Pierce was faster. "I would like for Ava's hand in marriage."

Andrew stared at him incredulously. "Who are you even supposed to be?!"

"No, _I'm_ marrying her!"

"That's right, Noi! You fight for your girl!"

"Pop!" Ava blushed furiously, mortified.

"Devon, what are you doing?!"

Asch interrupted, vying for attention. "Silence, _I'm_ marrying the princess!"

Devon gasped in delight. "Oh... 'Princess'?!"

Leif teleported near Ava, somehow unseen by the two older men. "If you want strong offspring, I suggest - "

Pierce cut him off. "Me. I am suited."

"No, I was gonna say _me_!"

"What does 'offspring' mean?" Ava asked, turning to Emerald.

"I'll tell you later," she answered, covering Ava's ears with her hands. The taller woman's expression was a cross between amusement and complete mortification as she shifted her focus between everyone gathered.

"I've always wanted to be a grandpa!" Devon drifted off into his own little world, no doubt imagining mini-Avas running around.

"Devon, stop encouraging this! This isn't a movie to - " Andrew cut himself off, frustrated. "Wha - Noi, what's going on?!"

"I am Ava's boyfriend!"

Rhys sighed tiredly. "Please forgive us. We've given you no clear explanation of the situation at hand. Allow me to explain: we are _all_ the boyfriends of Ava."

"Wait, WHAT?!" Andrew and Devon stared in shock.

"_Please... kill me..._" Ava whispered to Emerald, whose hands had dropped off the former's ears.

"_Oh no you don't. I'm not letting you take the easy way out and stick me with this mess_."

"ENOUGH!" Andrew shouted. "I'm getting frustrated at this whole situation." He took a deep breath. "What do you mean when you say you're all Ava's boyfriends?"

"Darling... our baby has... a HAREM!"

"That doesn't make it sound any better!"

"Okay, hear me out: I used to watch a ton of anime - "

"YOU STILL DO!"

"Look, what I think these gentlemen are _trying_ to say is... is that they're all hopelessly in love with our baby because we've raised such a strong and beautiful young lady."

"Exactly!" Rhys cut in. "Her magic is - "

"Rhys, _quiet_!" Emerald warned. She looked over her shoulder. "Oh no..."

"Hey Andrew!" Mr. Green called from the sidewalk. He and Mr. Dracula appeared to be taking an evening stroll together.

"Oh, uh, hi Mr. Green, Mr. Dracula."

"I'm votin' for ya'!"

"Oh, ah, haha, thank you!"

Emerald stepped closer. "If we're going to talk about this, we need to go somewhere private," she said quietly under her breath. "I'm sure you wouldn't want rumors spreading about Ava if someone were to overhear us."

Devon glared at her. "Are you suggesting - "

"God, no!" Emerald sighed in frustration. "You know how... older people are: they like to talk and if they can't, they start making up their own theories about what they think is happening. I just think it'd be better for everyone involved if we go back to the apartment and talk this out like civilized adults."

"Agreed," Andrew nodded. "Let's just get out of here."

As they all began to walk back home, Ava leaned over to Emerald. "_Thanks for the save_."

"_Don't thank me yet. You still have to talk to your parents when we get there_."

* * *

Once at the apartment, the two men herded their daughter into her room, leaving Emerald to wait outside with the Daemos. Ava promptly flopped down on her bed, Johnny Cat sleeping peacefully nearby. Devon looked on in concern while Andrew sat next to her on the edge.

The latter cleared his throat nervously. "Uh... A-Ava. Pu-pumpkin? Your father and I, uh... feel you're not telling us the truth about something."

"Ya think?" she shot back sulkily.

"Don't take that tone with your father, young lady," Devon admonished. "We - "

"Sweetie, I got this. Ava, tell us what's going on. Maybe we can help you with - "

"I _told_ you something was happening! When we got knocked out, I had a dream that Ava was surrounded on the couch by _demons_, and those demons symbolize these boys! What's worse, Emerald was standing there taking pictures of them together! I - "

"Devon! Please allow me to handle this." Andrew sighed tiredly. "Ava... is Noi your boyfriend? Why are these guys taking an interest in you? If you want, we can ask them to leave you alone."

Ava closed her eyes, remembering Steve's words from the other day. '_Let me guess: she doesn't have any friends still, right_?' Ava sat up, her earlier blush finally fading. "Okay... you guys want to know the truth?"

Devon gave her a concerned look. "Ava, we just want to help you and - "

"Th-these guys are all... madly in love with me, but... they're my friends, so... "

"I mean, we can clearly see that they're madly in love with you."

Andrew patted her leg in understanding. "You don't want to hurt their feelings. We understand."

"Huh?"

Devon stared at her flatly. "We were young once too, Ava. We've been there before."

"It's... difficult to have a big heart like you do."

Ava flopped back down on the bed, lips firmly planted in a pout.

"Pumpkin?"

"Leave me alone, I wanna sleep."

"Ava, you can't - "

Devon grabbed his partner's shoulder. "Andrew, I think we should let her have her space."

He sighed. "You're right. I'm sorry, Ava. Just... just talk to us when you're ready, okay?" With that, the two men made a tactical retreat into Ava's closet to have a further discussion.

* * *

Emerald sat on the edge of the couch outside Ava's closed bedroom door, arms crossed over her chest as she watched the Daemos. "So... when did you guys decide you all suddenly had overwhelming crushes on Ava?"

"That's none of your concern, _prisoner_," Asch growled, glaring at her.

"Wrong. It is very much my concern when it's happening in _my_ apartment, with _my_ roommate." She met his glare evenly. "So you guys better start giving me some answers, or we are going to have a serious problem."

"I-it's simple, really," Rhys stuttered nervously. "We've been living in close proximity with the two of you for seven days now. It's only n-natural we would begin to become attracted to you."

"I could believe that... if it wasn't just Ava you guys were after." The veteran stood, coming closer. "In fact, it wasn't until her parents showed up and Noi went out on a 'date' with her that this behavior began. So that leads me to believe it has something to do with Andrew and Devon."

"Even if it did, it's none of your business." Asch stepped forward to meet her, holding his hand up like he was going to summon fire. "The affairs of royalty are not something to be questioned by _lesser_ \- "

Faster than anyone could see, Emerald slapped Asch's hand away. "Prince or not, this is _my home_." She stepped back, not breaking eye contact. "Is this because Ava's a sorceress? And you think her parents are, what? Powerful rulers of the city or something?"

"It would assist us in... relocating our people to this place if we had an established relationship with the ruling class," Rhys cut in. "I realize how abrupt this course of action appears, but I assure you, it has a purpose."

"'Ruling class,'" she repeated back, looking at each Daemos in turn. "So... you all basically see Ava as an equivalent to Asch? In terms of status, I mean."

"Correct."

Emerald sighed, closing her eyes as she rubbed her temples. "I suppose there's no way I can convince you all to _not_ do this?"

"It's laughable you would even suggest something so foolish," Asch sneered at her.

"Oh, I know none of you will listen to me." She pointed at the closed door. "But the two men in there? Trust me... you're going to do what they say." Emerald looked at each Daemos in turn. "And if they tell you to back off, I'm going to make sure that happens."

* * *

"Andrew, I don't think we should push this anymore with Ava."

"Why not?"

Devon leveled him with a serious look. "We've always been protective of her, and you know she has her own issues with making friends. I think... we should just let her come to _us_ with these things if she wants to."

"I f-fully agree... but..." Andrew broke down, sobbing. "I DON'T WANT THEM PUTTING THEIR HANDS ON OUR BABY!"

"I know, especially after that dream, but... look, I think we've done our best to help her with social interaction growing up. This time, I think we should leave it up to her."

"R-right. B-b-besides, she has Emerald here with her and, if we're being honest, she'd probably go to her first about any boy issues before approaching us. I know you're not necessarily comfortable with that, but it is part of the arrangement we made when we asked Emerald to stay here. You know it hasn't been easy for her since - " Andrew cut himself off, looking wistful. "We're lucky she agreed to stay."

"Are you sure Ava's safe with her, though?" Devon gave him a worried look. "I've heard stories about how veterans sometimes... go crazy."

"That's an unfair stereotype and you know it."

"And where do you think those stereotypes come from?!"

"Hollywood." Andrew sighed. "Like it or not, there's a lot of money to be made off the idea of the 'tortured, damaged veteran.' Emerald's responsible and takes care of herself. If anything, she's an excellent role model for Ava. But if it would make you feel better, we can have a little talk with her before we leave today."

"It would. I'm curious why she didn't tell us Ava was suddenly seeing all these boys..."

"Speaking of which... have you ever had that 'talk' with her?"

"What... talk?"

"You know, t-the one about t-the birds and the bees... "

"I thought _you_ did!"

"No! I just - She always seemed off the idea of that, so I didn't - "

"Off the idea?! Where have you been, she had crushes in high school! I found notes about a boy named - " Devon cut himself off. "Look, now isn't the time to talk about that. Let's just... play it cool and do what any normal parent would do."

"Which is...?"

Devon gave him a confident smirk. "We lay down the law for those guys and let them know that if they hurt our baby, they are so _dead_! In short, we intimidate them."

"Intimidate?" Andrew burst out laughing. "You can't even scare off a fly."

"Watch me! You need to back me up." The blue-eyed man pushed past him, opening the door to Ava's bathroom and marching confidently out.

"Sweetie?" As he realized his partner wasn't stopping, Andrew rushed out after him. "Wait!"

Emerald looked over as the door to Ava's room opened, Andrew and Devon emerging. Before she could say a word, the two men turned to face the Daemos.

"Alright, listen up you, uh, punks! I'm not sure what's going on here, but we as Ava's parents are going to give you a fair warning." Devon looked to Andrew, encouraging him to join in.

"Uh, th-th-th-that's right! Uh, you guys better listen up, or else we'll, uh - "

" - unleash an unimaginable wrath upon you!"

Emerald barely managed to stifle a laugh as looks of shocked horror crossed the face of each Daemos.

"_We've angered them_," Noi whimpered.

"_Should we fight them now_?" Leif looked to Asch and Rhys for guidance.

"_Don't be foolish_," the latter admonished. "_We need to listen to what they're about to say_."

Asch scoffed. "What did you expect of us?"

"One: we better not find out you're making videos with Ava."

"That's right, or we'll call our lawyer." Andrew was getting his bearings in this exchange.

Pierce met their gazes evenly. "What's that?"

"A very powerful person you _never_ want to meet."

Devon took over again. "Second, no selling the weed. Our daughter is not to be exposed to that kind of thing!"

"And third: please still be her friends, even if she picks one of you."

"That's right." Devon seemed less fired-up. "We don't know what's going on between you all on a personal level, but the fact that you're all standing here in her apartment: it's kind of nice to see."

"I agree. We've never spoken to a group of friends like this for Ava, so... this is new for us too. We just... want her to be all right."

"Forgive me for asking, but I'm confused." Rhys's eyes widened with realization. "Are you... giving us permission to - ?"

"We're gonna let this play out. Whoever Ava decides to be with is her choice, but we're just glad that she has people to interact with."

"Right!" Andrew nodded, laughing. "We were afraid she was alone."

"Uh, you two realize I'm standing right here, don't you?" Emerald fixed them both with a serious look. "And need I remind you, this is _my_ apartment. Ava's a tenant, but my name is the one on the lease."

"What are you getting at, Emerald?" Devon mirrored her expression, as if readying himself for a fight.

"While I can... appreciate the concerns you have for Ava, you need to respect my privacy as well." She paused, thinking quickly. "How about this: I'll continue doing what I've been doing, which is accompanying them on any 'dates' they go on."

"_Have_... they been on many dates?" Andrew stared at her in concern.

"We all went to the park yesterday afternoon for a picnic." Catching their expressions, she kept going before they could interrupt. "I promise you, I'll act as a chaperone for any dates Ava takes with them, if you're _sure_ that's what you want. However, it might be better if we give her a bit of space, let her figure out what _she_ wants."

The two men exchanged a look before Devon answered. "No, you're right. It's better if we give Ava some space to make a decision on her own. But... we do appreciate the offer."

"That's right," Andrew agreed. "As long as you and Ava come to a mutual understanding, that's all we can really ask for."

Emerald smiled in relief. "Good. I'm glad we cleared that up."

At that moment, Ava emerged from her room. "Dad, Pop, Em! What's going on?"

"Oh nothing." Devon gave her a confident grin. "Just laying down the law."

"That's right!" Andrew chimed in. "Now that we have, I think we're gonna be heading out for now, Ava."

"That easy?" she muttered, starting when Emerald gave her a light poke in the ribs. "I mean, so soon?"

"Yes, it's been a long day. Besides, we just wanted to make sure you were all right."

"We'll be coming by every now and then to make sure that you're all right and not doing videos."

"Huh?" Ava cocked an eyebrow at Devon.

"He means YouTube videos!" Andrew interjected quickly, laughing nervously.

"He also means they'll be giving us a courtesy text before they just show up at our door," Emerald added, giving the two men a warning glance.

"Of course, of course," he agreed. "But really, we are going to be going." He turned back to face the gathered Daemos. "It was a pleasure to meet you all."

"Same," Devon practically purred.

* * *

Ava led her parents out to the common area in the hallway while Emerald stayed inside with the Daemos. "I... bet you're wondering about me and Noi, huh?"

"Well, we _are_ curious, but... " Devon trailed off.

"Let's put it this way: we can tell you like him a lot, but we can also tell you aren't sure of him yet."

"R-really?" Ava couldn't believe she was about to pull this off.

Devon hummed. "Let me put it this way: it seemed like we walked in on you and Noi, and in order to gain your love he introduced himself to us as your boyfriend so you had no choice but to go on a date with him _and_ us."

"What he said," Andrew agreed.

"A sly move to get a date from a girl he likes, but I've seen it happen in movies, so trust me I know this kind of thing."

"Y-yeah, that's _totally_ what happened." '_Just keep it together, Ava. You're almost in the clear_.'

"No one can get past me with secrets!" Devon looked so proud of himself.

"In any case, we're glad you've got people to hang out with, pumpkin. I know you said Emerald's been pretty busy with work lately, so it's nice to have options for companionship. We're also glad you're safe."

Both men took turns giving Ava a kiss on the forehead, preparing to take their leave. But just as they were about to go...

"Oh, Andrew and Devon! It's wonderful to see you two!" Mrs. Oates smiled as she walked towards them from the elevator.

The two men turned to greet her. "Ah, Mrs. Oates. How have you been?" the former asked.

"Oh, I've been just fine. Emmy and Ava have been helping me out quite a bit this week."

"Ah. I take it you've met their new... friends?"

Ava gasped, trying to hide it. '_Oh no_,' she thought. '_If Mrs. Oates goes off on one of her tangents, she's going to ruin everything we've spent the last two hours trying to fix_!' She glanced over her shoulder to see if Emerald was nearby and could intervene.

No such luck: Ava was at the mercy of Mrs. Oates.

"Oh yes, I've seen them around quite a bit lately," the elderly woman nodded, smiling.

"Anything you can... tell us about them?" Devon asked nonchalantly.

"They've been treating both those young women _very_ well, I must say. I can't remember the last time I saw them so content."

"Really?" The blue-eyed man sounded surprised.

"You must know it hasn't been easy for Emmy since what happened to her parents, especially when she still has to stay in this apartment." The woman gave them an oddly serious look. "She's given up quite a few things to look after Ava, you know."

"We're well aware of the situation, Mrs. Oates. I can assure you she is being properly compensated for her efforts." Andrew sounded like he'd heard this particular line from the elder woman before.

"Ah, I see. I was just curious, since I know Emmy has been doing a lot more chores for me lately."

"She has?" Andrew and Devon exchanged a look.

"Well, of course! Those boys have been coming over a lot, so she's been making dinner for all of them. That takes from her savings, and with Ava not having a job right now... well, you can see how it could be a bit stressful."

"Why didn't she tell us?"

"Oh, you know how stubborn Emmy can be sometimes. If she can take care of a problem on her own, she'll do it and not make a fuss." Mrs. Oates fixed them both with another look. "But, I believe you were asking me how those boys have been getting along with those young ladies." She broke off, giggling to herself.

Ava covered her face, silently wishing for an earthquake to strike and swallow her whole so she wouldn't have to face her parents after Mrs. Oates -

"They've been getting along as friends. Yep, nothing more than that. Though I'm sure _those_ boys have a thing for Ava. Some of them might like Emmy as well... although I don't think they realize it quite yet." She gave another giggle.

"They aren't doing anything crazy, are they?" Devon's eyebrow was raised.

"Oh no," the elder woman assured them. "Please, I live next to them, and I know they are doing nothing but good, _wholesome_ fun. If Ava or Emmy was doing something bad, I'd tell you both."

Andrew sighed. "That's a relief to hear."

"Same here," Devon agreed. "We're glad they have a neighbor like you, Mrs. Oates."

"Oh please. I'll keep an eye out for them. Especially Ava."

"Thank you." Andrew turned to his partner. "All right then, let's get going home."

Devon hummed in agreement, following him to the stairway. Just before descending, he turned back. "Oh, and Ava: remember to keep looking for a job!" Satisfied he got the last word in, the blue-eyed man continued his exit.

As soon as she felt he was out of sight, Emerald poked her head out of the apartment. "Everything go okay?"

Ava sighed in relief, nodding. She was about to speak when she suddenly became aware of Mrs. Oates standing right next to her.

"You know, you two owe me big time for lying to those two about the _fun_ you've been having with your boy toys!"

"Mrs. Oates!" Ava cried, breaking out into a bright blush.

Emerald laughed along with the older woman, although it wasn't as boisterous. Deep down, the veteran knew they were walking a dangerous line now... especially if Ava found out why the Daemos were _really_ so interested in her.


	11. Chapter Ten - A Much-Needed Spa Visit

_This is a work of fanfiction. All characters (except Emerald) belong to Aphmau / Jessica Bravura._

_Cover Art belongs to Aphmau / Jessica Bravura._

_Please don't sue me._

* * *

"We need to talk."

Emerald gave Ava a surprised look. It wasn't often the younger woman sounded so serious, so she was inclined to listen closely. "Sure, what's on your mind?"

"Not here." She grabbed Emerald by the wrist and led the way to her own room, looking around as they went. "I don't want our 'roommates' overhearing us."

'_Ah, so it has something to do with them_,' the veteran thought. It made sense, especially considering the close shave they'd both just had with Andrew and Devon. Once they were both in Ava's room with the door firmly shut, she turned to the smaller woman. "What's on your mind?"

"We have a giant, otherworldly portal to another room in our apartment, and we haven't explored it?!" Ava stood with her hands on her hips, giving the taller woman a hard look.

It took Emerald a moment to collect her thoughts. "Well, I mean... I was here when they made it. And we've both been inside it - "

"But not past the little lobby thingy! There's so much more in there we haven't seen yet!"

She chuckled a little. "I guess this is how they felt when we took so long to take them outside to other places, huh?"

"That's not the point! This is our _home_ we're talking about, and I'm getting a little sick of all the secrets around here!"

"Secrets?" She cocked one eyebrow. "Where is this coming from all of a sudden?"

Ava crossed her arms. "Let's just say that today has been rather enlightening."

Emerald sighed, closing her eyes as she rubbed her forehead. "Look, I'm sorry I freaked out earlier when your parents first showed up, and I'm sorry I couldn't come along on the 'date' thing and help you out more."

"Nono, it doesn't have anything to do with that. I just..." Ava thought for a moment. "Look, I know I could be doing more to help out around here. And I'm trying, I really am! It's just - "

"Hey, don't worry about that right now." Emerald enveloped the smaller woman in a hug, resting her chin on the top of her head. "Everything will be okay. This has just been a shi - crappy day on top of a _very_ crappy week. If you think a little adventure will help, then I'm all for it."

"R-really?"

She pulled away, giving a small but genuine grin. "Just let me go get my bat first."

Ava nodded eagerly, reaching into her dresser and pulling out her giant novelty pencil. "Time for Ava and Em to take control."

* * *

Meanwhile, the Daemos were having a meeting of their own to discuss the events of the day. Rhys was closest to the prince, the other three forming a row behind him. The spectacled Daemos addressed Asch. "What do we do with this new information?"

The latter sighed tiredly. "What do you mean?"

"Well, we've now discovered Ava is a princess since her father is ruler of all humans." Rhys narrowed his eyes in thought. "I believe we now have a possible solution to us coming here."

"Court Ava," Pierce spoke up.

"Correct."

Leif was practically buzzing with excitement. "Okay, this idea opens up a whole new bottle of questions. First off, the kingdom of Daemos won't allow that. A Daemos courting a human - "

" - has never been done," Asch interrupted.

Rhys gave him a patient look. "I would argue that now is possibly the best time to pursue that."

"We'll be put to _death_ if we attempt that."

"Aren't we already on death's door if everyone finds out we used the last soul?" Leif cut in worriedly.

"No one on Daemos has to know we courted a human." Rhys brushed the former assassin's concerns aside. "We only want Ava for her magic, that's all."

"How 'bout we just start threatening humans? Maybe with, I don't know... _death_?" His eyes sparkled at the thought.

"We are _severely_ outnumbered in this world, Leif. The human population here severely outweighs the entirety of our kingdom." Rhys paused, looking worried. "I suspect there are even more humans than we are aware of, based on one of the books Emerald gave us to read. It is possible we have only seen glimpses of one small kingdom here on Ee-urth so far."

"There's so much potential for magic here. I've been thinking..." Asch narrowed his eyes, voice lowering dangerously. "What if I just made Ava mine?"

"Asch?" Rhys became lost in thought, remembering the warnings Lady Grandma had given him before this journey. If he let Asch simply take Ava and wrest control of the humans from her parents, war would undoubtedly follow. Not to mention the more immediate consequences of how Emerald might react if she felt they were putting Ava in danger -

"Rhys? Rhys!" Asch was calling his name, sounding more annoyed by the second.

"Huh?"

"What were you going to say?"

"Asch..." Rhys took a moment to compose himself. "You are the prince of the kingdom of Daemos. However, you know that there are lesser kingdoms of Daemos that are all at war for the throne your family has."

"And...?"

"Do we really need yet _another_ war started? One where we are greatly outnumbered in?"

"I want you to know Rhys, that since we've been here, we've been _docile_ when dealing with Ava and Emerald. I've been under this idea since _you've_ been so adamant about keeping the peace between worlds."

"And I am grateful for your cooperation... although I must disagree slightly with you about the 'docile' way we treated Emerald upon our arrival in her home. But if I may interject, you don't seem to be keen on moving forward any faster than I."

"Let's just get the mission done," Asch sighed tiredly.

Rhys bowed his head. "Forgive me. We are in no rush. Not until we have to go back."

"I _said_ let's continue with this idea!" The Daemos prince sounded irritated.

"As you wish." He turned to the others, focusing on Noi. "Noi?" Rhys questioned, growing impatient when he did not receive an answer. "Noi?" The smallest Daemos didn't respond, continuing to mutter and giggle to himself as a blush spread across his cheeks. "Noi!"

"Bluh - yes?!" he blurted out, startled.

"When you were courting Ava on that... 'date', what did she enjoy?"

* * *

Ava and Emerald came through the portal together, the latter taking point. Both wielded their chosen weapons close to their bodies. "When I see those idiots, I'm going to _stab_ them with my Stabby Pencil and _demand_ answers!" Ava growled, taking a few practice jabs.

"Simmer down, sassy buns. Let's try asking the questions like civilized human beings _before_ we start with the stabbings."

The younger woman held her pencil out confidently. "Ava isn't playing around this time."

Emerald let out a snicker. "Why is Ava speaking in third person?"

"Nevermind! Let's go." Ava marched past her, leading the way. "I need to be an adult! I've been blissfully ignorant so far because I've been distracted by the fact that they're sexy and I - " Emerald's barely-contained laugh interrupted her. "Hey, don't judge me! I know for a _fact_ you think Pierce and Rhys are hot."

"Where on earth did you get _that_ idea?" Despite herself, Emerald found herself blushing slightly.

"I've seen you sneaking glances at them when you think no one's watching." She pointed the pencil in her direction. "Don't you dare deny it! I've _seen_ it."

"Of all of them, those two seem like the biggest threat to us. Rhys is definitely the smartest, and Pierce is built like a tank. Plus, need I remind you, Pierce has already hurt me once."

"Yeah, but he didn't mean to. It was an accident!"

Emerald waved her hand dismissively. "I know, I know. But it's a bit hard to just forget something like that. It's barely been a week since they first got here, even though it feels like months sometimes."

Ava opened her mouth to argue more, but cut herself off with a surprised gasp. Before Emerald could ask her anything, the smaller woman took off through the doorway in front of them. At a loss, she followed.

Their eyes were greeted by what could only be described as the greatest hot tub either of them had ever seen. Water flowed from a circle suspended over a pool in the shape of a four-leaf clover, cascading down in four groups of three rivulets. An additional spout fed water into the pool from the north end.

Ava dropped her pencil, tears of happiness streaming down her face. Although still on guard, Emerald lowered her bat so the tip was resting on the floor. "This is the most beautiful hot tub I've ever seen!" the former sobbed.

"It's pretty impressive, I'll give you that."

"Wait..." Ava's eyes clouded over in anger. "They had a hot tub and they didn't tell us?!" She stepped forward, looking down into the water. "You know, it'd serve them right if we just jumped in. After all, they're staying in _our_ apartment." She began taking her shirt off, but Emerald's hand on her arm stopped her.

"Are you sure that's such a good idea? I mean, they seemed confused when they saw us taking showers and baths." She walked to the edge of the pool, studying it closely. "I don't know what this is, but it's probably not meant to be a hot tub." She knelt and carefully tested the water with her hand.

"Well then, that's _their_ fault for not being smart enough to know a good thing when they have it!" Ava shot back, taking her shirt off. "How is it?"

Emerald stood, shaking the water off her hand. "It feels amazing..." she trailed off suddenly.

"Em? You okay?"

The veteran shook her head quickly, as if to clear it. "There's something... _weird_ about this."

"Do you think it's dangerous?" Ava was beginning to second-guess herself.

"No, I don't think so. It just makes me feel - " She was cut off as Ava pushed her into the pool, sputtering as she stood. "What the _hell_, Ava?!"

"Does it still feel 'weird'?"

Emerald paused, running her hands through the water. "No. It feels... pretty awesome." She leveled a glare at the younger woman. "You could've at least let me take my pants off first. Do you know how badly these jeans are going to chafe?"

Ava laughed, removing her shorts and socks. "You can still take them off, you know."

The older woman sighed, before grinning wickedly. "You better get in here before they come off, or I'm chucking them right at your face!"

"Bring it!"

* * *

"Huh?" Pierce turned, listening intently. He was _positive_ he'd heard voices coming from inside their space, but that wasn't possible.

Beside him, Noi giggled as he answered Rhys's question. "From what I learned, on dates humans seem to enjoy 'pizza'. Her parents weren't as scary as I thought they were and Sorceress - " He cut himself off, eyes going dreamy. "I mean... _Princess_ Ava... seems to like talking a lot."

Leif turned to Pierce. "You heard that too?"

"Heard what?" Rhys looked between the two of them.

Pierce reported, sounding every bit the General he used to be. "Someone is here."

"Wait... he's right."

As a group, all the Daemos went to the stairs, Pierce descending first. "How did you not sense someone going through?" Asch questioned Rhys, glaring at him.

"I don't know!" he answered, feeling concerned about this mystery. "But they're inside here."

Leif pulled out both his knives, grinning gleefully. "_Let's kill 'em_!"

* * *

Emerald leaned her head back against one of the stone backings, glancing over at Ava. Both women had stripped down to their underwear, the veteran's clothes spread out on the floor to dry out. "You know what thish feels like?" she slurred slightly, giggling a bit. "It's kind of like being drunk. Not super drunk, but like... pleasantly tipsy."

Ava returned her giggle. "Yeah, it kind of does."

"I think... we should maybe be a little worried about that."

"Should we, though? This hot tub is absolutely _amazing_ and I've never seen you so relaxed." The smaller woman gave her a somewhat serious look. "For real, though: you deserve this. _We_ deserve this."

Emerald shrugged her shoulders, closing her eyes as she sank a little lower into the water. "You're lucky I don't have any work tomorrow, or else we'd really be in trouble." She gave another small giggle. "This is a nice way to end the day."

"Right?!"

The sound of rapid footsteps caught their attention, both women glancing over to see all five Daemos entering from a side hallway. Leif and Pierce had their weapons drawn, but that fact failed to register in their brains or cause any sort of concern.

"Princess Ava?" Pierce sounded confused. "Emerald?"

"Hiiii!" the former called out, the latter giving a little wave.

"Why are you in the spell pool -" Rhys cut himself off quickly, feeling it might not be a good idea to let them know exactly what they were sitting in. " - I mean... what are you two doing here?"

Ava sat up. "Well, originally I wanted to yell and stab you guys with my novelty giant pencil, because I was mad at myself for kind of letting you guys into my life without question, but then! I stumbled upon your hot tub and I forgave myself for not asking you guys questions, but I got mad at you guys for not telling me you had an amazing hot tub!"

"Hot tub? This is a spell - " Noi grunted in pain as Leif smacked the back of his head. "Ow!"

"They're doing that thing Ava does in her spell pool," Asch observed with contempt.

"Spell... pool?" the veteran repeated back in confusion.

"H-he meant to say 'hot tub' like you," Rhys blurted out quickly.

"Is that safe for them to be doing?" Leif asked flatly.

"_Silence_!" he whispered fiercely.

"You know what?" Emerald managed to focus on them. "If you guys let us use this hot tub all we want, we'll tell you guys even more about the human world. Okay?"

"Really?!" Rhys was unable to hide his excitement. "I - "

"Deal," Asch interrupted.

The veteran giggled more, motioning to them lazily. "Come sit with us. Come on, let's talk!"

Noi glanced at the other Daemos, looking for guidance. "C-can we do that?! Even _I'm_ not - "

Without waiting for an order, Pierce walked straight into the water and sat down by the two women.

"You're supposed to take off your clothes - y-you know what nevermindI'mnotreadyforthat." Ava looked away, blushing furiously while Emerald laughed.

"Speak for yourself," the latter teased, nudging her lightly on the shoulder.

One by one, the rest of the Daemos joined the two women in the water, forming a semi-circle around them where they were relaxing against the stone.

Once they were all settled, Ava looked around. "So... you guys came here to Earth because... well, when we first met you, you told us that 'Our world is gonna be eaten by a terrible monster and we wanna make sure the Earth is good so we can move here'. Right?"

Rhys hesitated, trying to remember if that was what he'd said. "Th-that is correct."

"But... it's kinda odd you guys haven't mentioned that again in the time we've known you." Emerald stared at each Daemos in turn. "It sounds kind of urgent, don't you think?"

"I... uh... "

Asch interrupted him gently. "It is, but we know our kingdom back home can handle the threat."

"_Phew! Nice save, Asch_," Noi whispered, eyes sparkling with admiration.

"Hmm, interesting..." she trailed off, lost in thought. "Why are you guys so... 'off', then?"

Leif sounded offended. "What does _that_ mean?"

"I don't know. You guys just... act weird about things that are normal to us. But I guess you're from a different world, so I can't really - "

"_We_ act weird? Heh, look at yourselves!"

"Huh?"

He pointed at Ava. "You threaten us a lot, but you don't actually _do_ things with your magic aside from flash it at us."

"I agree," Asch interjected. "And why are humans so docile? I haven't seen _any_ of them try to kill each other _or_ us."

"Wow. Now that you mention it, you're right!" Noi agreed eagerly.

"I guess... because we evolved not to do that kind of stuff?" Ava looked to the older woman. "Em, help me out here."

"I mean, it still happens in the world and I guess... we're just lucky enough to not have it that bad."

"Is that not common here?" Pierce broke in.

"I mean, it's not something you're likely to run into in a place like this. On the other hand, other parts of the world..." she trailed off, staring into the middle distance.

"Em?" Ava shook her shoulder gently. "Hey, don't go thinking about - "

"Why are humans so calm?" Noi interrupted.

Ava reluctantly dragged her attention away from the veteran. "Isn't... your world calm like this?"

"No, it's not!" Rhys practically shouted, before remembering himself and taking a deep, calming breath. "I mean, uh... why do you think we have a monster trying to devour it?" He finished by laughing nervously.

Emerald shook herself out of whatever thoughts she had wandered into. "Oh! So you guys are like, in the Medieval Ages?"

"Yes." Rhys sounded like he didn't have _any_ idea what she was talking about, but wanted to end this line of questioning as quickly as possible.

Ava laughed in relief that Emerald had brought herself back to their conversation. "You know, you guys really scared my dads. I'm positive they're worried about me now more than ever."

Noi stared at her. "Is that a bad thing?"

"No, but I'm pretty sure they're gonna come around to check on me more often."

"Depends on your definition of 'bad'," Emerald muttered under her breath. At Ava's look, the older woman sighed. "Look, I don't mind if they come over, but they better send a courtesy text or something and not just show up unannounced again. The _least_ they could do is knock on the door before just forcing their way in."

"What are we doing?" Asch cut in with annoyance.

"Huh?"

"We aren't talking about _anything_ of use here. This is nonsense and ramble. What use is talking like this?!"

"It's what _friends_ do, I - " Ava cut herself off with a gasp, covering her mouth for a moment.

"Are you all right?" Pierce gave her a concerned look, mirrored by Emerald.

"Y-yeah," she replied lamely. "Just... thinking too much about things." She desperately tried to change the subject. "N-Noi, how did you like pizza?"

Asch growled angrily. "Don't ignore my question. I - "

"It was _amazing_!" Noi gushed. "I would like it again."

"Pizza?" Rhys was lost in thought. "Is that like... _ice cream_?!"

"Uh, I'm not sure - "

"It's _better_ than ice cream," Ava interrupted confidently.

"Do not speak such _lies_!" Rhys growled angrily.

"I agree!" Emerald broke in. "Ice cream can kick pizza's ass any day of the week."

The smaller woman looked between them. "Well, uh... I mean, they're both good in their - "

"I will not have this treason speak!" Rhys declared, rising from the water.

Leif laughed happily. "Whoo-hoo-hoo, I've never seen Rhys upset before."

"'Treason speak'?" Ava mocked, standing as well. "Look, I can give you ten reasons why pizza is better than ice cream. One, pizza - ah!" Whatever she was about to say was cut off as she tripped over Pierce's leg in the water, face-planting with a splash.

Asch broke out in boisterous laughter, catching everyone completely by surprise with how genuine it sounded.

"_He laughed_," Noi whispered in amazement.

"Shut up!" Ava shouted in embarrassment as she stood, water dripping from her face.

Asch continued, only stopping when Emerald splashed him with a well-placed palm to the water. His stunned face made all the other Daemos break out into laughter as well. "Weren't expecting _that_, huh?!" Leif teased.

"It is only befitting, since Ava is a princess." Rhys nodded to the taller woman. "You serve your mistress well, Dame Emerald."

"Silence!" the Daemos prince barked angrily, glaring at his knights.

Ava took a moment to look at the Daemos gathered around her. "Why me?" When none of them answered, she pressed on. "You know there are other humans in our world. Like Em here, but also so many others. Why do you choose to stay with us?"

"Because I like you," Noi confessed without embarrassment, either not noticing or pointedly ignoring the glares Pierce and Rhys sent his way.

"Oh please, it's because you two are our prisoners." Asch scoffed.

"I mean, your reaction to us was mild compared to the humans on Daem - "

Rhys interrupted with panic. "What Leif is _trying_ to say is... it would not be _wise_ of us to make our presence known here on Ee-urth just yet. You yourself have even advised us against that."

"I... just don't see how moving your world to ours is going to be any better," Ava looked around seriously. "It must be cool to be a prince in a land full of magic. Can you tell me about Daemos and what it's like?"

Noi began. "Dark and - "

"Enough!" Asch cut in, silencing the smallest Daemos. "We are _done_ with this." He stood. "Stay as long as you want, _prisoners_. For now, my knights are to retire for the night." Order given, the Daemos prince walked out of the pool and back towards the doorway they had entered from earlier.

"Did I say something?" Ava seemed confused at the sudden turn of mood.

Rhys stood. "Please excuse me." He bowed to Ava and Emerald in turn, then followed Asch out of the room.

"I'm out," Leif announced flatly before vanishing completely from the water.

"How does he do that?" Emerald wondered, staring at the spot the former assassin had just occupied.

"I don't know, now that I think about it." Noi sounded pensive before turning to Ava. A blush crept over his cheeks. "Anyway, let's go on a date again sometime soon, okay?" He stood, the blush deepening as he began to leave. "I really enjoyed what we did. Bye!"

Emerald noticed the glare Pierce sent at Noi when the littlest Daemos invited Ava out on another date. '_Pierce really seems to like her_,' she thought, somewhat sadly. '_I've noticed how he acts towards Ava since they first came into our lives_.'

Ava looked down at Pierce, who was still seated in the water. "You aren't leaving?"

"I will escort you out when you are ready," he answered simply.

"I can do that by myself, you know. Besides, I have Em here to walk me back to our apartment."

"I'd like to help," he answered, sending a look Emerald's way to let her know he was not trying to intrude upon what he saw as her duties to the princess. The veteran gave him a small nod to show she understood his intentions.

Ava walked around him to sit back down in her previous spot, nudging the veteran with her elbow slightly. "Well, you're both gonna be here for a while because I _live_ for hot tubs. Hmph." She settled back, closing her eyes so she didn't see the small, affectionate smile Pierce threw her way.

But Emerald did...

... and it hurt a bit more than she expected it to.

* * *

"One of us is going to slip the truth to one of them, if we continue to speak to them like that..." Asch mused.

"Which is why they're perfect," Rhys assured him. "For whatever their reasons, Ava and Emerald are willing prisoners. And that helps us. Ava has prolonged her showing how she does magic. You should ask her about it sometime." He paused, lost in serious thought. "It also appears Emerald is not entirely without magic herself, since she did use disarming magic on you back there in the spell pool. It may be she is capable of it after all, if it involves defending her mistress from attack."

"We will conceive tomorrow," the Daemos prince announced, turning away as he walked towards his throne.

"Ava and Emerald are not the only ones prolonging this relationship," Rhys murmured quietly to himself. "What are you hiding, Asch?" Knowing he would receive no answer, the spectacled Daemos retired to his own quarters.

* * *

"Sho, about that scar..."

Emerald startled as Ava grabbed her arm, trying to pull her up. "What're you talkin' 'bout?" the former slurred a little, feeling more of the effects of the water.

"That scar Leif keepsh going on about that you have on your stomach." The smaller woman pulled harder on her. "It'sh gotta look pretty cool if he keeps mentioning it..."

"Hey, c'mon Ava. You don't want to see that." Emerald gently tried to remove her hand, surprised when she didn't release her arm. "I'm serious. Let go."

Ava shook her head. "Nooo, I wanna see!" She lowered her voice. "_You don't wanna disobey your Princess in front of the Daemos, do you_?"

"_Look, I know you're feeling a bit loopy from this water, but I am not comfortable showing you that. It's something very personal and I don't feel like it right now_." The veteran gave her a pleading look. "_Please_..."

Before either of them could say anything else, Pierce came over and effortlessly picked up Ava in one motion. "Forgive me, but I think you two have had enough soaking for one evening."

Emerald launched herself out of the water and grabbed her shirt, making sure to keep her back to them. As Pierce hid Ava from view and turned his head to look at the water, she pulled it over her head and down in one smooth motion. "Thanks, Pierce," she said softly, sitting down at the edge of the water again.

The large Daemos nodded, carefully placing Ava back into the water before sitting on the edge next to Emerald.

"Hey, what happened to 'enough soaking for one evening'?" the smaller woman asked grumpily, crossing her arms over her chest and pouting.

"I mean, _I'm_ done for tonight." The veteran poked her with one foot. "Personally, I think you should get out too."

Ava huffed in annoyance. "Well, I _personally_ think you should shut your noise hole and let me do what I want for once." She settled deeper into the water, lying her head back against the stone and closing her eyes.

Emerald sighed, propping herself up on her hands as she leaned back as well. "Okay, but don't come crying to me when you get overheated and feel like crap tomorrow."

"Fine, _Mom_."

Pierce and Emerald sat in a comfortable silence as Ava continued to soak, neither one particularly inclined to break the quiet. Eventually, the veteran felt herself starting to nod off. "Hey, Ava? You ready to go back yet?"

"Nope."

Emerald sighed, sitting up in an effort to wake up a bit. She rested her chin in her hand, elbow propped on her knee as she stared absently at the water. Gradually, she became aware of Pierce looking at her. "What is it?"

"You may retire, if you wish. I will make sure Princess Ava is escorted safely to her quarters."

She chuckled lightly. "I'd rather not leave her alone in here, if it's all the same to you."

Pierce nodded. "I understand you do not wish to abandon your duty, but I must insist you rest. These last two days have been hard on both of you." He paused. "I do not want either of you to come to harm."

"That's sweet and all, but as long as Ava's in there I'm not leaving this room."

The large Daemos hesitated only a moment before he reached over and gently began running his hand over Emerald's back. As usual, she tensed up briefly before gradually relaxing into his touch. "I will keep watch over her," he assured her. "Sleep."

Emerald could have given him twenty reasons off the top of her head why that was not a good idea. However, she seemed to be having trouble voicing any of them as exhaustion suddenly overtook her. She wobbled slightly, dimly aware of Pierce's hands on her shoulders as he guided her body to lie down.

"Wha-what did you... do to me?" The veteran found herself lying on her back, staring up at his face. Something was under her head, acting as a cushion. It took her a few seconds to realize it was his leg.

"Sleep," Pierce repeated, softly petting the top of her head.

She tried to fight it, but Emerald suddenly felt more tired than she ever had in her entire life. Between everything that had happened over the last two days, the weird way the water in the "hot tub" made her feel, and how she was beginning to suspect Pierce was using magic to make her sleep, the taller woman was ready to just roll over and let this day be done.

Before she drifted off, Emerald met his gaze. "Keep 'er... sfe..." she slurred, hoping he understood.

To her relief, Pierce nodded. "No harm will come to Ava. I promise."

With that, Emerald let herself sink into oblivion.


	12. Chapter 11 - Exhaustion & Spell Pools

_This is a work of fanfiction. All characters (except Emerald) belong to Aphmau / Jessica Bravura._

_Cover Art belongs to Aphmau / Jessica Bravura._

_Please don't sue me._

* * *

Leif phased his way around the main hall, slowly working his way towards the spell pool. He had been waiting for almost two hours now, but had yet to see the humans leave. If they were still in the Daemos space, then that could be considered trespassing... which meant they should be dealt with accordingly.

As he entered the spell pool room, Leif noticed Pierce as well as both humans were still there. Emerald was lying precariously on the ledge next to the pool, jeans folded into a make-shift pillow under her head. On the other hand, Ava was still in the water, her head leaning back against the stone. Pierce was sitting next to Emerald, hands resting on his knees and head bowed.

All of them appeared to be asleep.

The former assassin grinned as he took out his knives. _'This is almost too easy,'_ he thought as he phased over and brought his blades down on Ava's head...

...or at least, he _would_ have, if Pierce's greatsword hadn't blocked his swing in one smooth motion. The large Daemos stared at him impassively, his left hand going to Emerald's forehead briefly as he whispered something under his breath.

"Still putting up a fight about this, I see," Leif sneered, giving a cocky grin.

"I'm following orders. We aren't to kill either of them until we learn more about humans."

"Oh come on, don't tell me you don't think about killing them too." He backed off as Pierce stood, wielding his greatsword in both hands. "How long are you gonna keep this up?"

"As long as I need," the Daemos general growled, glaring at him. "Especially when your intentions aren't clear."

"Please, my intentions are simple: I do what I _feel_ like doing. Either I make Ava mine, or I kill her. Sometimes I can't pick between the two." He shrugged his shoulders. "Tonight I felt like killing her. Simple."

"And what of Emerald? Is her life beneath you to take?"

"Please, I would _love_ the chance to fight her properly. Don't think I missed that little sleeping spell you put on her when you blocked my first strike." He grinned wickedly. "I think you made sure she stayed asleep so I wouldn't have an excuse to finally take her out."

"Are life and death that simple for you?!"

Leif laughed harshly. "Why are you asking such stupid questions?"

His only response was a glare.

"I said it before, and I'll say it again: Ee-urth has changed us, whether we want to admit it or not. I can't quite put my finger on why it happened."

Pierce's eyes went wide with sudden realization. He glanced down between Emerald and Ava, before looking back at the former assassin and putting his sword away. "Kill her."

His tone took Leif completely by surprise. "Huh?"

"I'm allowing you to do it." He nodded his head at Ava. "Go."

"Really?!"

"Yes."

Leif laughed maniacally, readying his knives again. "ALL RIGHT!" He phased to right in front of Ava, knife held high to deliver the killing blow... but the look on her face made him freeze. "Huh?"

As he was caught in indecision, a fireball came from his right side. It slammed into his chest, throwing him back against the north wall of the pool and barely missing the spouts feeding in more water.

"Why do you insist on defying my orders?!" Asch growled, staring him down. He had entered from the same doorway Leif had earlier and now stood at the side of the pool.

Leif shook his head to clear it. "YOU ALL KNEW HOW I WAS WHEN I ASKED TO BECOME A KNIGHT!" he shot back, standing and putting his knives away.

"We are _trying_ to court the human princess sorceress. We cannot do that if she's dead."

"SHE'S ALREADY DEAD!" Leif's eyes widened in panic.

"What?!" Asch and Pierce cried out simultaneously as all three of them stepped back into the water. The former knelt down, lifting Ava's body out of the water and holding it up like a rag doll. Her head tilted back limply, limbs dangling bonelessly. Her eyes were half-open and glazed over, looking completely lifeless.

"Wh-who did this?!" Asch turned to face his two knights, focusing in on Leif. "It was _you_, wasn't it?!"

"I WISH!"

"What do we do?!" Pierce's voice was soft, but worried.

The Daemos prince stared at the seemingly lifeless body in his arms, thinking quickly. He glanced briefly over at Emerald's unconscious form before narrowing his eyes. "Rhys!"

"No Asch, don't tell him!" Leif sounded almost _more_ panicked than he had just a moment before.

Asch shook his head. "We have no choice. You remember what Rhys said: we shouldn't provoke Emerald more than we have to, especially since it seems she's not entirely without magic after all. If she finds out that we _killed_ her mistress..." He paused, then looked around again. "RHYS!"

"Where's Rhys?" The concern was obvious in Pierce's voice when the spectacled Daemos failed to appear.

"Oh no," Leif murmured. "Ava's parents must have gotten their nine hundred and eleven soldiers on him!"

"How would they know she's dead?" Asch glared at him, sounding annoyed.

"She's a powerful sorceress and she said her parents put an 'over-protective' spell on her!"

"... what does that even mean?!"

"I don't know, but it probably means Rhys is dead!"

"W-w-we shouldn't panic," Pierce stuttered out, even though he felt just as concerned as the other two.

"AVA'S _DEAD_, WE SHOULD **PANIC!**" Leif screamed back.

A sudden thud caught their attention, drawing their eyes back over to the doorway where they saw Noi standing. A look of horror was on his face as he gasped. "A... A... Ava's... _dead_?"

Leif's pupils shrank to the size of pinpricks. "Ah, shi - "

"Sit down, Noi," Pierce commanded, trying to keep the situation under control. "We are still trying to figure - "

The smallest Daemos ignored them all, stepping forward and pushing Asch down as he took Ava's body from his grasp. "What are you doing?!" the latter demanded, his remaining knights watching in stunned disbelief.

"You're lying! She's... she's not dead." Noi stuttered as he dragged Ava towards the door that lead to the portal.

"Look at her!" Leif scoffed.

"Nonono, this can't be happening," he murmured to himself, staring into her lifeless eyes.

"Give her back!" Pierce commanded, all three Daemos in the water glaring at Noi.

"NO!" Noi cried, draping her over his right shoulder. "I won't let you just throw her body away!" He turned and started running towards the portal at full speed.

"After him!" Asch ordered, Leif and Pierce quick to obey. The former two passed a little too close to Emerald, jostling her body as they ran by.

Noi kept running, not daring to look back to see if he was being followed. _"I'll find a way to reverse this, Princess,"_ he whispered. _"I **promise!**"_

"Rhys!" Asch called as he entered the lobby. "Where the hell are you?!"

"**DON'T TELL HIM!**" Leif shrieked.

"Phase, Leif!" Pierce commanded.

"Huh?! Oh, right." He blipped out of sight as Asch and Pierce resumed the chase on foot.

Back in the spell pool room, Emerald groaned and shifted slightly.

* * *

Despite the fears of the other Daemos, Rhys was, in fact, perfectly safe at the moment. He walked out of Ava's bedroom, looking through her copy of _Bra's Magazine!_. "Hmm... humans have fascinating combat preferences." He tilted his head. "Or is this even combat at all? I - "

He was cut off as Noi ran past him, Ava slung over his right shoulder. "What the - ?! What's going on?"

"THEY KILLED AVA!" Noi screeched out.

_"Killed?!"_

Leif appeared between Noi and the door to the apartment, brandishing his knives. "Give her back to me you weakli - " he trailed off, putting his weapons away as he took in the situation. " - iiing _ohno._"

"What. Is going on?" Rhys's voice was deadly calm as he glared at the two of them.

Asch and Pierce ran though the portal, the former shouting angrily. "Noi, I will _kill_ you-Ahhhh!" The threat died on his lips as he immediately turned around and ran back inside.

"Come out here _now_."

"You said you wanted to see him," Leif called.

"I wanted to explain the situation first," Asch shot back.

"Wait... " The magazine dropped from his hand, face contorting in anger. "YOU ACTUALLY KILLED HER?!" Rhys ran over to Noi, taking Ava's body and laying her on the couch.

"Rhys, do something!" the smallest Daemos cried out, following close behind.

"Hold on!" he replied as he began to examine the small human.

Knowing Rhys was now distracted, Asch stepped back through the portal. "This is _all_ your fault, Pierce!" He glared at his general accusingly.

"I did not do anything," Pierce shot back, meeting his glare evenly.

"You were instructed to watch over her, and then you - "

"She's alive, you idiots!" Rhys interrupted, straightening up.

"She is?!" came a chorus of stunned outbursts from the other four Daemos.

Ava let out a few weak sniffles, her eyes still firmly closed.

"She's alive!" Noi cried happily.

"She has a steady pulse, but... her body is incredibly hot." Rhys turned to Pierce. "What happened?"

"I decided to sit outside of the spell pool with Emerald, since Princess Ava insisted she remain. I waited until Leif came in - "

"LEIF!"

"I didn't kill her! I looked at her and she had that look on her face like somebody else killed her."

"Wh-what if it was the spell pool?" Noi sniffed, looking at Ava pathetically.

"It's... entirely possible the spell pool had an effect on her." Rhys looked around the room again. "Wait... where is Emerald?" He felt a worried knot in the pit of his stomach. "What happened when she heard you all saying Ava was dead?"

Pierce met his gaze evenly. "She heard nothing. I placed a sleeping spell on her to help her rest. She has not slept well these past two days." He paused. "I also did not wish her to engage with Leif when he arrived."

"So she has no idea any of this happened?"

"No. She removed herself from the pool earlier and began to tire, but refused to leave Ava's side. I helped her."

Rhys did not look pacified. "Emerald will not be pleased when she finds out what happened."

Leif cocked one eyebrow. "Why does she have to find out?"

"You _really_ think we can hide this?"

"Hey, as long as Ava's better by morning, who says Emerald ever has to know?"

"Be that as it may, how do we go about helping Ava?"

"Place her to rest on her bed," Asch commanded calmly.

Rhys faced him. "Do you think that will work?"

"If there's one thing I'm positive Daemos and humans share, it's rest. The effects will most likely wear off from her come morning."

"Wow, Asch actually said something _smart_ for once," Leif jabbed.

"Agreed," Rhys murmured softly.

The Daemos prince glared at his advisor. "Don't humor him."

"I'm agreeing _with_ you about rest. We can place her in her room." He turned back to the couch, lifting Ava easily and carrying her to her bed. Once she was lying down, he grabbed a purple blanket from the bottom and used it to cover her up.

Confident she was resting comfortably, Rhys faced the other Daemos gathered around. "What possessed all of you to panic as such? It was fairly obvious she had a pulse."

"We didn't know what was going on," Leif shot back.

"Especially you, Pierce."

Under his gaze, the Daemos general looked somewhat embarrassed. "As, uh, Leif said."

Rhys sighed. "Okay. We should return to the spell pool and see how Emerald is. From what you've told me, she is currently under the effects of _two_ sleeping spells. Combined with her earlier contact with the spell pool, she might be having some... interesting dreams right now."

* * *

_Emerald jolted awake as she heard the sound of a boot kicking the door to her tent. "Hey, Vic! C'mon, yer gonna miss yer ride!"_

_She took a moment to rub her eyes, looking around. _'Wait, this is...'_ The green canvas walls, the makeshift furniture built out of spare two-by-fours, the dangling bare bulb hanging from a nail: it looked just like the tent she'd stayed in when she was deployed to -_

_Another loud kick. "Vic! Les go!"_

_"C-coming!" she called back, throwing aside her blanket and rushing to get dressed. _'This is so weird,'_ Emerald thought as she pulled on her combat boots. _'How long have I been deployed again? Feels like it's been months, but... it also feels like I've been asleep for years.'

_Shaking her head, she efficiently pulled her hair up into a neat bun with practiced ease. As she got to the door, she grabbed her hat and canteen from the hook on the wall, placing the former on her head as she attached the latter to her belt._

_Opening the door revealed Bobby Beaudreaux, aka "Jesus Sauce", a nickname he had earned due to the rather odd way the Gothic lettering of his tattoo on his stomach appeared if you glanced away too quickly. It actually read "Jesus Saves", but everyone had agreed the mistake was funnier, including Bobby himself. "Bout time ya got up," he teased, nudging her side with his elbow._

_"Yeah, yeah," she sighed, nudging him back as she grinned. "Sorry about that. I was having this _weird _dream - "_

_"It got anything to do with yer fiancé, I don' wanna hear it."_

_Emerald laughed, but her thoughts were confused. _'Wait, fiancé? When did that happen?'

_Another voice called out, on her left. "Vic, think fast!"_

_She looked over, barely catching the wrapped sandwich that'd just been tossed at her face. The woman sent a glare at the individual who'd thrown it._

_Albin Hinds gave her a cocky grin. "Figures we'd be waiting on you." Hinds was one of those obnoxious kids who'd been in the Civil Air Patrol before joining active duty Air Force, so 'clearly' he knew everything there was to know. He also had an uncanny sense of exactly how far he could push things without getting in trouble._

_"Eff off," Emerald growled, examining the sandwich closely to make sure he hadn't messed with it. Something about this whole situation seemed oddly familiar, but also carried an overhanging feeling of dread..._

_"Ooo! That's the closest to swearing you've come yet! At this rate, you'll be just as salty as the rest of us."_

_Daryl Suhy leaned out the side of the bus and lightly smacked Hinds in the back of the head. "Yo, we're all gonna be late if you guys don't get your asses in here right now." Suhy was one of the higher-ranking guys in the group, and had been trying his best to keep everyone on track._

_Emerald held in a snicker as she climbed the steps onto the bus, giving Suhy a brief look of thanks. "Don't give me that," he responded. "You're lucky we stopped by to get you instead of making you walk all the way to the site."_

_"Point taken, sir." That was one thing about Suhy: he didn't play favorites._

_"Come sit here, Vichana!" She smiled as she glanced towards the sound of that exuberant voice, waving back at Jamie Quintana. He had joined the Air Force right out of high school and had only graduated Tech School a few months ago._

_She started towards him as Hinds and Jesus Sauce got on behind her, both taking seats near the front. Just as she was about to sit down, Emerald saw -_

* * *

Emerald's legs splashed into the water of the spell pool, her body twisting so her stomach was resting against the stone edge. She groaned again, but still didn't seem able to wake up, even as she continued to slowly slide further into the water.

* * *

_"Hey Em."_

_Emerald sat down across the aisle from JR. His name was actually Francis Leasure Jr., but everyone just called him JR for short... 'short' being a rather amusing description, since the man was easily over six-and-a-half feet tall. He was actually one of several people she'd met at Tech School, so they'd been friends for years._

'Why is he on this bus, though? None of the guys I went to school with ever deployed with me...'_ Emerald gasped in realization. _'This is a dream! I'm having a dream about a bunch of guys I used to work with, but not in any location we were ever at together.'

_She noticed even more familiar faces as she looked around the bus, but no more names were springing to mind. _'That's a little weird. Why am I thinking about these five guys in particular?'

_As happens in dreams, Emerald found herself standing in an entirely different location in the blink of an eye. _'Now we're at the bomb storage yard. Why would we be - ' _She cut off her own thought, suddenly paralyzed with fear._

_This wasn't just a random dream..._

_... it was part of a memory._

* * *

Emerald grunted, unconsciously edging further towards the side of the pool. Just as she began to sink into the water, Leif suddenly phased in right beside her. "Oh no you don't!" he yelled, grabbing her by the arm and lifting her out. "It's bad enough Ava almost died in this thing: you don't get to escape so easily."

The veteran didn't answer him, hanging listlessly by his side. The former assassin sighed as he got a better grip, shifting her to a bridal-style carry in his arms. "Hey, wake up already!" he called, preparing to use his magic to awaken her when -

"Leif, _don't_!" Rhys called as he ran in, the other three Daemos hot on his heels.

"What's the problem? I thought we _wanted_ her awake so we could explain what happened."

"We need to be careful," he explained, coming to a stop along with the others to form a semi-circle around Leif. "I don't think she reacts well to being awakened suddenly."

"What _are_ we going tell her?" Noi piped up, peering closely at the taller woman. Now that she was unconscious, the small Daemos seemed less nervous around her.

"I think we should wait until morning," Rhys answered, also using the opportunity to study Emerald. "It will only unnecessarily upset her, which might make her do something... rash."

"Won't she be angrier that we tried to hide it?"

"Who says she has to know at all?" Leif shot back. "As long as Ava's recovered in the morning, it doesn't matter." He suddenly got a mischievous look on his face as he began lifting the bottom edge of her shirt. "Speaking of 'doesn't have to know'... you guys wanna see that scar?"

Before anyone could say anything, Pierce stepped forward and snatched Emerald out of Leif's arms. He cradled her close to his chest, backing away from the others.

"Pierce... " Asch growled, sounding like he was scolding a dog who had stolen food off the table. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Emerald does not want anyone to see her scar." He swallowed thickly. "She even defied Ava's request to see it earlier. It is why she exited the spell pool in the first place."

Rhys nodded in understanding. "I see. If it's important enough that she would even deny her mistress, I think we should leave it alone for now."

"That's no fun," Leif pouted, crossing his arms and glaring.

"I'm more concerned all this jostling hasn't woken her up." He stepped closer, placing one hand on Emerald's forehead. "Hmm... she feels warmer than she usually does. Not as hot as Ava," he quickly clarified, catching everyone's worried glances.

"It's probably from the spell pool," Leif offered. "She was sinking into it when I came in."

"That would explain it." Rhys watched as the veteran twitched in her sleep, eyebrows furrowing together as she let out a low groan. "It would appear she is not having a pleasant dream."

"We've wasted enough time on these... distractions for one night." Asch looked around at his knights. "Put her to rest in her bed, and we'll check on both of them in the morning." Order given, the Daemos prince turned on his heel and stalked out.

"Bye." Leif phased away abruptly.

Noi looked between Pierce and Rhys. "Should we check on Ava again?"

The latter shook his head. "She will rest more if we do not disturb her."

"Okay." He paused again, hesitant. "Can I come with you two?"

"You are worried about Emerald."

The small Daemos nodded. "She scares me, but Ava trusts her, so I think I should get used to her."

Pierce frowned, but didn't say anything as he turned and began carrying Emerald towards her room. Now that Rhys had mentioned it, the Daemos general could feel she was a bit warmer than she'd been before. He was aware of the other two following him as he went through the portal.

_"Don't... "_ She murmured quietly, frowning.

Pierce froze in his tracks, staring down at her. "Emerald?"

_"Don't let... go... "_

"Fascinating," Rhys observed, coming up beside him. "It appears her dream intensifies as we spend more time in close proximity."

"Then... we should probably hurry and put her down, right?" Noi cut in, looking worried.

"Agreed." He held out his arms. "Give her to me, Pierce."

The tall Daemos startled, brought out of his thoughts. "What?"

"You were with the humans by the spell pool for several hours. Go take some rest. I will take care of this."

Reluctantly, Pierce handed her over. Now that he was aware of it, he could feel exactly how tired he was. "Please inform me if anything happens."

"Of course."

The rest of the journey was uneventful as Rhys and Noi took Emerald to her room. The former laid her down on her bed before pulling up the spare blanket. Once she was covered, he rested his hand on her forehead. _'She is definitely warmer,'_ he thought with worry.

"D-do you think she'll be mad?" Noi asked, wringing his hands. "If she finds out about Ava, I mean."

"She is a rational, intelligent human. I think, if we are calm and careful, Emerald will not do anything... regrettable."

"... she reminds me of you."

_That_ caught him completely off guard. "R-really?"

"Yeah! It's like you said: she's smart, calm, and really scary when she gets angry." He laughed lightly. "You even kind of look alike now, since she gave you those things for your face."

Rhys sighed, blushing slightly. "Let's... not worry about that right now. I think it will be best for us to come back when the sun rises. They should both be fine by then."

* * *

"She isn't fine by now!" Noi shouted, looking down at Ava as she lay in her bed, unmoved since last night.

"Shut up, Noi!" Asch grumbled in irritation.

Leif seemed genuinely confused. "What's the deal? Why isn't she better by now?"

"I... I don't know," Rhys confessed, looking worried. "The rest should've helped... " He was interrupted as Ava sniffled pathetically. "... but it only looks like she got worse."

Asch stared at Rhys accusingly. "What is going on?"

"By all accounts, she seems sick."

"Stand aside: I'll take care of this," Leif declared confidently, bringing his hands together as green light glowed. When he brought them apart, his expression dropped to one of confusion. "What th - i-it didn't work!"

"Perhaps your magic has gotten weak," the Daemos prince scoffed.

"It has _not!_ I learned this to show I could!" he shot back.

"Perhaps the spell pool is having an adverse effect," Pierce offered.

"... or humans can't be healed by Daemos magic," Rhys cut in thoughtfully.

"That's not true," Leif scoffed. "I healed Emerald on our first day here, remember?"

"Then perhaps humans can only be healed of physical wounds. You had no trouble mending Emerald after her 'encounter' with Pierce, as well as waking Ava after her parents came in unexpectedly. Daemos, due to magic, usually heal after rest. Unless their magic is - " He was cut off as Ava coughed harshly. "This is odd," Rhys murmured seriously.

"What do we do, Rhys?" The Daemos prince looked to his advisor for answers.

"I, uh, I truly do not know."

"Rhys... doesn't know?" Pierce sounded concerned.

Leif cursed quietly under his breath. "Oh, we're doomed!"

Noi threw himself across Ava, tears running down his face. "NO! Not Ava... "

Asch glared at the smallest Daemos. "Let her go Noi, we do not want to make it worse!"

"This begs the question: how can we go about this?" Rhys was deep in thought, ignoring the theatrics around him.

"Okay, this is gonna sound bad at first, but hear me out. What if we cut her open - " Everyone glared at Leif flatly. "I'm not finished! What if we cut her open and beat up the sick inside her?"

"Cutting humans is impossible," Asch declared. "It makes them die fast."

"I'm just trying to help!"

"I think... the _smarter_ approach should be trial and error, but first: let's do this logically." Rhys approached the side of Ava's bed, leaning in close. "Princess Ava? Can you speak?" The small human cracked her eyes open briefly, coughing harshly before closing them again. "She's unresponsive."

"No! S-she just coughed!" Noi cried hopefully. "Th-that was a response!"

"I mean... she's not communicating. This illness must have a grasp on her."

"Or maybe the spell pool did it," Asch muttered to himself.

"Perhaps." Rhys looked around the room as if something had just occurred to him. "Where is Emerald? She is usually awake before now."

"Is that necessarily a _bad_ thing?" Leif broke in. "I mean, she's gonna be pretty angry when she finds out Ava's sick."

Pierce lit up slightly. "Emerald warned her."

That got an instant reaction from the other Daemos. _"What?!"_

"Emerald warned her not to stay in too long, or else she would 'feel like crap' tomorrow."

"Given how Ava is now, I would say she does 'feel like crap'," Rhys mused. "Still, I think it would be best if we at least begin to find a solution to this before we resort to awakening Emerald... and _before_ Ava dies."

Everyone stared at him in horrified silence before Leif broke it. "So, what do we do?"

"I suggest that we all split up and look around for solutions. We'll meet back here when we've come up with some theories and ideas to test."

"That sounds better than nothing." Asch glared at Leif. "No ideas that would _kill_ a human!"

"Bu-but those were all my ideas... "

"Tough luck," Pierce growled.

"Shut up!"

"Look for solutions." Rhys gave the order. "Disperse."

* * *

As each Daemos went off on their own mission, Noi exited Ava's room and looked around. His eyes rested briefly on the door to Emerald's room, which was still firmly closed. _'Hopefully she stays asleep until we figure this out,'_ he thought to himself before noticing Johnny sitting near the couch outside the taller woman's room.

"Oh wise spirit," he entreated, kneeling down with respect. "Please, I need to ask a favor: how can we heal Ava?"

* * *

After a quick, fruitless search in Ava's room, Leif exited only to see Rhys seated at the relic Ava sometimes used. "What're you doing?" he asked as he came up next to the spectacled Daemos.

"Ava comes here when she wants to learn something. Perhaps we should learn how this relic works."

"Oh, good idea!" They waited together in a comfortable silence as Rhys continued pressing buttons until a cheerful tune began to play. "Whoa, what did you do?!"

"I-I don't know!"

On a completely black background, a white line drawing of a cartoon cat waved at them. _"Hi friends! Kitty Kitty Meow Meow here!"_

"What is that?!" Leif practically screeched.

_"Today, we're gonna learn about making friends! But first, be sure to check out my other videos on Simple Topics for Kids! There's one to deal with your friend being sick, and one to deal with **bullies!**"_

"This sage seems to have an abundance of knowledge." Rhys stared at the screen in concentration. "Give us the topic about sickness, wise Kitty Kitty Meow Meow."

_"Be sure to check them out in the description below, and subscribe and hit the bell! MEOWFIST!"_

"What's a description?"

"I don't know... I don't even know how we're talking to this spirit."

* * *

Asch looked up in annoyance from his place beside Ava's bed as Noi ran in, holding a small bottle aloft in his hand. "Well?"

"The Johnny spirit led me to this in Emerald's 'bathroom'! It's a potion and it's called... Ty- uh... Ty-lee-noi!"

"Wha-what?" The Daemos prince stood. "Y-y-your name is in it?"

"Yes! Which means it must work!"

"How do we use it?"

"Ah, uh... " Noi trailed off, his earlier exuberance gone.

Pierce came out of Ava's bathroom, ducking his head to fit through the doorway. "I filled water in Ava's spell pool. Perhaps that will help?"

"Let me see." Asch sounded intrigued. He followed his general to the tub, testing the water with his hand. "It's burning hot... I don't think this will work, seeing as one spell pool already caused this."

Meanwhile, Noi stared at the bottle in his hand "I wish I could read more," he muttered in frustration. Behind him, the other four Daemos reentered the room to convene.

"Well?" Asch inquired.

Rhys shook his head. "We were on to something... but we couldn't find the description."

"A what?"

"We don't know. But _Leif_ got angry that we couldn't find it, so... "

* * *

_Leif pulled out his knives, blind with rage._ "GRRRR I DON'T CARE ABOUT A DESCRIPTION ANYMORE! I WILL KILL YOU! **RWHAAAAAAAAAA!**" _He began smashing his weapons on the keyboard, trying to force the sage to give him the answer._

_Rhys tried desperately to get him to stop, but it was no use._ "Leif, stop it! No, Leif, NO!"

* * *

Asch glared at Leif. "You killed our one chance of curing the princess without having to resort to Emerald?!"

"Oh, it's called Ty-lee-Noi!" Seemingly oblivious to the conversation, Noi turned around to face the group. "...but, I don't know how to use it."

"It's named after you." Rhys perked up. "Let me see." He stepped forward, taking the proffered bottle. "It says 'peel back for instructions'."

Pierce's eyes widened in horror. "Peeling? Like _skin_?"

"You can peel skin," Leif scoffed.

"I think it means the paper, but I can't _get_ it." Rhys fumbled with the bottle, grunting. "Guh, what is this 'Lock Device'?!"

"Let's go with the peeling idea." Noi frowned. "I-I think we have to put it on her skin."

Asch sighed in resignation. "At this point, I'm willing to try anything."

Rhys went to Ava's side, holding out the bottle and rubbing it along her arm. The small human groaned, but still did not open her eyes. "It seems to be annoying her."

"Why did you have to kill the Kitty Kitty Meow Meow sage?!" Asch pointed an accusing finger at Leif.

"'CAUSE I WANTED TO KILL SOMETHING!" he shouted back.

"Stop, both of you!" Rhys glared at them. "I hate to say it, but we are out of options: we are going to have to tell Emerald."

* * *

Knocking.

All Emerald could hear was knocking, loud and surrounding her on every side. Every pulse seemed to beat its way into her skull, making her feel nauseous. She groaned softly, grimacing when even that noise added to the pain in her head. "Oh, holy _fu-_ "

The sound of a door opening cut her off. The veteran tried to open her eyes, but the bright light of sunrise made her squeeze them shut again. She reached blindly to her side, trying to find her phone to see what time it was.

_Too_ far, it seemed. Suddenly, there wasn't a mattress under her arm anymore and Emerald felt herself begin to pitch forward...

... only to come to a sudden stop as two pairs of hands caught her by the shoulders. She was aware of voices, but everything was muffled, as if she was underwater. Gradually, she forced her eyes open to see two blue pairs staring at her with worry.

"Are you alright?" Rhys's voice was soft, but even then it seemed like he was shouting at her.

_"Shh..."_ Emerald whispered, squeezing her eyes shut as she took a deep breath through her nose. She was vaguely aware of Pierce whispering something over his shoulder and the sounds of several pairs of feet retreating out of her room.

_"What happened?"_ Rhys's voice was much softer now as both Daemos helped her sit on the edge of the bed, but did not let go of her.

_"... something in... that hot tub... "_ She grimaced as another wave of pain pulsed behind her eyes. _"...m' head hurts... "_

_"It appears the spell pool is responsible after all,"_ Pierce whispered to Rhys behind her.

_"So it would seem,"_ he nodded, placing his hand on the back of Emerald's neck. _"She feels even warmer than she did last night, although not nearly as hot as Ava."_

"Wait... Ava's sick?" Emerald finally forced her eyes back open, trying to focus on them.

Rhys nodded. _"It appears the 'hot tub' had an adverse effect on both of you, although Ava has reacted more strongly."_

"I... I need to help her." She tried to stand, but another wave of pain forced her back. Her eyes snapped shut as she groaned, bringing one palm up to cover her right eye. _"God, this is like... the world's worst... hangover... "_

_"You should lie down,"_ Pierce whispered.

_"Agreed. Ava is resting in her bed and will be safe until you have rested as well."_ Rhys gently pushed Emerald back onto her bed, making sure she was settled comfortably before covering her again with the blanket. _"Is there anything we can do to help you two?"_

The veteran grimaced, laying her arm over her eyes. _"There should be some... Tylenol in my bathroom,"_ she began.

"Oh, _that's_ what it's called!" Noi cried out. Despite being shooed out earlier, he and the other Daemos had slowly worked their way back inside.

The others shot glares at him while Emerald groaned softly. _"Shh... "_ she whispered again, tightening her hand into a fist. _"Please... not so loud."_

_"Sorry!"_ he answered, shrinking away from everyone.

_"Could... you bring me the Tylenol and a glass of... water?"_ She loosened her fist as the pain ebbed. _"Also... a wet cloth. Cold water for both."_ A pause. _"Actually, two wet cloths. One for Ava, one for me."_

_"Will those cure you two?!"_ Rhys struggled to keep his voice low over his excitement.

_"No, but it'll help."_

* * *

What followed was a soft flurry of activity. As Pierce went to get the glass of water from the kitchen and Leif and Noi retrieved washcloths from the bathroom, Emerald walked Rhys through how to open the bottle of Tyenol he was still carrying.

_"Fascinating,"_ the spectacled Daemos murmured as the lid popped off. _"What is the purpose of this 'Lock Device'?"_

_"To keep children from... getting into it and hurting... themselves... "_ The pain from her headache seemed to be peaking again.

_"I have the water,"_ Pierce spoke softly as he returned, Leif and Noi close behind with the washcloths.

_"Rhys, help me... sit up."_

He complied, moving to sit behind her as he did so. As she leaned back to rest against him, Rhys could feel her body shaking. _'This sickness has a strong hold on her as well,'_ he thought with worry. _'And yet... she is still trying to help us heal Ava. Her devotion to duty is truly admirable.'_

_"Give me... two of the...Tylenol."_

The Daemos watched in fascination as Emerald placed both pills in her mouth at once, then drank half the water in one gulp.

_"So all we have do is put two of these 'Ty-le-noi' in Ava's mouth, and she'll get better?"_ Surprisingly, Leif was trying to speak quietly.

_"No,"_ Emerald breathed out, the hand holding the glass tremoring. _"She has to... be awake to swallow... the pills."_

"Well then, how do we wake her up?" Asch grumbled angrily.

Emerald winced, her eyebrow twitching in pain. _"Put the... cloth on her forehead. It'll help bring her fever down."_

As Noi ran off to tend to Ava, Pierce reached out and gently took the glass from the veteran's hand, placing it on the nightstand. _"How long will it take the 'Ty-le-noi' to work?"_

_"I just... need to rest for a bit. Then I'll... come see Ava."_

Rhys helped her lie back down, then placed the remaining folded washcloth on her forehead. She reached up and adjusted it to cover her eyes as well.

_"Just give me... about twenty minutes."_

Asch opened his mouth as if he were about to argue, but Rhys sent him a warning look which actually worked for once. The Daemos all quietly shuffled out of the room, shutting the door softly behind them.

* * *

"How much longer is this going to take?" Asch glared at Rhys.

"Our best chance of helping Ava right now is Emerald. We should let her rest for the time being."

"I'm kinda _glad_ she was too out of it to get mad at us," Leif confessed.

The Daemos prince was not so easily mollified. "You said she would help us, Rhys. All she did was take care of herself!"

"No!" Noi interrupted, rejoining the group. "Ava seemed to like it when I put the cloth on her forehead. I think it's helping!"

"As difficult as it is to wait, I think we should give Emerald the time she asked for," Rhys cut back in. "It's better if she can help directly: I don't want to risk making a mistake with Ava."

Asch scowled a Leif. "We wouldn't be stuck waiting if _someone_ hadn't killed the Kitty Kitty Meow Meow sage!"

"Wait... _sage_." Rhys's eyes widened in realization. "That's right! We're all idiots!"

As the others voiced their displeasure at the statement, Pierce cut through calmly. "I take it you have a solution."

"No... but I know someone who does."

* * *

Mrs. Oates shuffled towards her apartment door as the doorbell gave off a nonstop chime. "I'm coming, I'm coming! _Sheesh!"_ she muttered under her breath. She gave a small, surprised gasp when she opened the door. "Oh, my! Well, hello... "

Rhys and Pierce stood before her, their horns safely hidden from view. "Mrs. Oates, we need your help," the former began.

"Oh look, if I was forty years younger, I'd be _happy_ to take Ava's or Emmy's place but... well, I'm just happy listening - "

"Ava and Emerald are sick." Pierce interrupted softly but determinedly.

"Oh, _sick?"_

In what seemed no time at all, Mrs. Oates was in Ava's bedroom and looking the young woman over.

"Well?" Asch questioned, his earlier frustration gone.

She turned around, holding a thermometer in her hand. "Oh, this isn't good. She has a terrible fever: 102. And she's _sticky_, oh, _really?!"_ The senior woman turned back to her patient. "At least _one_ of you thought to put this washcloth on her forehead. That should make her a little more comfortable."

"Please... we just want her to be better," Rhys pleaded. "Can you help us?"

Mrs. Oates hummed softly. "Of course I can, but it will take some time. First, let's get her tub filled with nice, warm water."

Pierce scoffed softly at Asch. "See?"

He responded by rolling his eyes and sighing. "Whatever."

The old woman smiled softly at the remaining Daemos as Pierce went into Ava's bathroom. "I'm going to teach you boys how to properly take care of a sick lady. But first, I need to check on Emmy."

"She was the one who suggested the cloth," Noi piped up as they exited Ava's room.

"Hmm, that sounds about right." Her expression grew serious. "But she _really_ must not be feeling well if she sent you boys to come get me."

"Actually, we decided that on our own," Rhys confessed. "Emerald said she needed to rest for twenty minutes, then she would come take care of Ava herself."

Mrs. Oates let out a gently chuckle. "_That_ sounds more like the Emmy I know." She paused outside Emerald's room. "You boys wait here: this won't take long."

* * *

Emerald sighed tiredly as she heard the door to her room open. _"C'mon guys, I told you to give me twenty minutes - "_

"Oh-hoho. Ready to go again so soon?"

_"What the_ \- Mrs. Oates?!" The veteran sat up in panic, washcloth falling from her forehead. "Oh _God_, I'm so sorry the guys bugged you, I _promise_ I'll talk to them about going over to other people's homes uninvited just don't tell -"

The senior citizen seemed to materialize in front of her, placing her hands on both sides of the taller woman's face. "Emmy, _breathe."_

Emerald inhaled sharply once. Slowly, she let it out and took a second, calmer breath, but still didn't dare to blink.

"There we go. Do you feel a little better now?"

Emerald nodded carefully, finally closing her eyes and leaning heavily into Mrs. Oates's touch. "Sorry about that," she murmured.

"You don't need to apologize. I know you've been running yourself ragged this last week trying to keep track of everything... and every_body_." She frowned. "You have a bit of a fever, don't you?"

"I can work with that: it's this stupid headache I need to get rid of."

Mrs. Oates noticed the glass of water on the table. "Is that all you've had to drink so far today?"

She nodded again, opening her eyes. "It's more than Ava's had, though. I don't think she's woken up at all yet."

"Well, we'll get that taken care of soon enough. Why don't you lie down and get some more rest?"

Emerald shook her head. "If you're here, then I should get up and help take care of her. It must be pretty bad if they couldn't even wait twenty minutes for me." She began to swing her legs over the side of the bed, but was stopped by Mrs. Oates's hand.

"You don't have to be on call all the time, dear. It's okay to take a break and focus on yourself for a bit."

"Now's... really not a good time for that."

"I don't think it's 'been a good time for that' in months. Has it, dear?"

The veteran felt herself withering a little under the scrutiny, but pulled herself together. "Just let me take a shower and get some clean clothes on. If I don't feel any better, I _promise_ I'll come right back to bed. Okay?"

Mrs. Oates gave her a long look before sighing and shaking her head. "What am I going to do with you, Emmy?"

* * *

"Is she okay?" Noi questioned as soon as Mrs. Oates exited Emerald's room.

The senior citizen turned to face the gathered men as soon as the door was closed. "Emmy's feeling a bit better now. She's going to get cleaned up, then she'll join us to take care of Ava." She walked by them, heading towards the kitchen. "But while we're waiting on her, let's go get ready to make soup. It'll help both Ava and Emmy recover faster."


	13. Chapter 12 - Mrs Oates, Focus!

_This is a work of fanfiction. All characters (except Emerald) belong to Aphmau / Jessica Bravura._

_Cover Art belongs to Aphmau / Jessica Bravura._

_Please don't sue me._

* * *

Mrs. Oates bent down as she shuffled through the storage containers under the kitchen counter. "Oh, for heaven's _sake!_ These children..." she murmured under her breath, turning towards the stove. "Nothing but Spam and a bag of rice? Emmy's stretching herself more than I thought..."

"Forgive me for asking, but what are you doing?" Rhys cut in gently.

"Wondering how Emmy managed to get past Ava's fathers on this. Usually Devon and Andrew are very observant about their living conditions." She gave them a sly wink. "But I take it they were too distracted with Ava's relationship with you boys to pay attention."

"They had 'laid down the law' with us, but they also mentioned that, for them, it was nice to see us in her apartment. They also promised Emerald they would try to respect her privacy as well."

"Ooo! Hmm... I'm going to assume, since Ava has friends, they're going to try to give her more personal space. Well, I'm glad her parents are making an effort to let her spread her wings and fly. Though... *heh* I wonder how they're _really_ taking it."

* * *

Across town in their own apartment, Andrew and Devon were sitting watching a police drama on television. Well, _trying_ to watch may have been a more accurate description: Andrew looked bored out of his mind and Devon kept staring at their cell phones sitting on the coffee table.

"Oh, come on Andrew. Just let me call her once."

"No! It's only been a day. We are _trusting_ her to - "

"They're making videos, I know it! I've seen it in my shows! Once the parents leave, the kids pull out the weed farm and get back to causing trouble!"

"Devon, we raised Ava to be a smart and responsible - "

_**"Responsible?!"**_

"I, uh... "

_"See?!"_

Andrew laughed nervously. "She's a young adult. Who says they're responsible in the first place?" He gave him a calming look. "Besides, that's why we have her living with Emerald: she's made her own share of mistakes and can help Ava avoid making the same ones."

"Are you sure about that? What if she gets desperate for money and starts taking advantage of our baby girl?!"

"Because she would never do that!" He took a deep breath. "Look, I know you can get pretty wrapped up in your shows and start thinking everyone acts like the characters in them, but Emerald is _not_ like them. It's true she had a few rough spots when she was younger, but she came back here and got her life sorted out again. From what I've seen of her work for that science magazine, she's an excellent editor and writer."

"What if she decides to take a job somewhere else and just abandons our baby girl in the middle of the night?! What if Ava wakes up one morning and she's all alone?!"

"You and I both know Emerald is too responsible to leave her obligations like that. They're both young women just trying to figure out their way in life and - "

"I'm calling her!" Devon launched himself off the couch, reaching towards the phones on the table.

But Andrew was even faster. In the blink of an eye, he was standing in front of his partner blocking the way. "Don't make me cuddle you to death," he threatened through gritted teeth.

"That won't stop me from checking on our baby this time! She's with five strange men: who _knows_ what they're doing?!"

"I know exactly what they're doing!"

"You can't - wait, you do?"

"Yes, I can see it perfectly." He closed his eyes as he brought the scene to life in his mind. "Now, uh... they're all playing Monopoly, except for Emerald, because she had an emergency article come in that she has to work on. So she's sitting at the kitchen island, working on her laptop while the others play the game. Anyway, our baby has all of the properties. But then she sees that Noi doesn't have any. So she goes over to Noi and decides to share some of her property, which leads her to seeing the wrong in the Justice System, so she decides to then start a _democracy_ where then she can - "

"That's just you and you know it," Devon interrupted flatly.

"Look, let me have this!"

"As long as you let me call her _now!"_ He made a grab for the phones, but Andrew was quicker and backed away, holding a phone up in each hand.

"You will not call her!"

"Give those back now!"

Andrew shoved both phones deep into his pockets, running towards their bedroom at the back of the apartment. _"NEVERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!"_ he shouted, Devon right behind him in hot pursuit.

* * *

Emerald closed her eyes as the water ran down her back. How long had it been since she'd had a shower, anyway? Felt like way too long, at any rate. _'What day is it, anyway?'_ She slowly counted on her fingers. _'Friday... which means I missed my run today.'_ Her eyes snapped open. _'No, I've missed two runs. Pierce made me skip Wednesday's, then I had too much work to do yesterday, then this morning - '_

She huffed in annoyance as she grabbed her shampoo. _'Screw it. All that matters this weekend is getting Ava to feel better.'_ She scrubbed the soap harshly into her hair, not caring when the action made her headache spike slightly. _'I can get back on track Monday.'_

* * *

"Hmm... well, I do suppose they're handling it like grown adults, if anything." Mrs. Oates brought herself out of her daydream.

"Mrs. Oates." Rhys cut in again, less gently this time.

"Hmm?"

"What shall _we_ do to make sure Ava and Emerald are relieved from their illnesses?"

"Oh, _yes!"_ she exclaimed, the task at hand brought back into focus. "Well..." she blushed as she gave the Daemos a sly wink. "First off, you boys need to change out of your 'Funtime' clothes."

"Uhh, what?" Leif stared at her like she'd gone insane.

"Ah, nope! No! Spare the details! I don't need to know, as I have my _own_ ideas and I'll ask Emerald if I was going to ask anyone." The elder woman blushed again. "That _girl_ certainly has a gift with words, you know."

You could almost see how badly Asch wanted to tilt his head like a confused puppy. "What is she talking about?"

Mrs. Oates let out a happy laugh. "Don't mind me. Just get out of your clothes so we can avoid getting them messy."

The Daemos exchanged confused looks before they all simultaneously began to undo their robes before they heard Mrs. Oates let out a startled gasp. "Wait! What are you doing?!"

"... what you said." Pierce, as usual, had managed to disrobe the furthest.

"Not in front of _me,"_ she laughed again. "Just go change into your _regular_ clothes. Taking care of a sick person means the person who's doing the care needs to be comfortable too."

They quickly readjusted themselves while Mrs. Oates turned towards the refrigerator. Once they were sure she wasn't looking, all the Daemos quickly slipped through their portal.

"There's literally _nothing_ in this fridge but milk, pizza, and a few condiment bottles. The rest of the items inside are just cereal boxes stuffed with... _paper towels?!"_ The senior citizen threw the empty cereal box over her shoulder in frustration. "How are these girls living? In fact, how is Emmy managing to feed all those boys?" She turned around again, surprised to see she was completely alone. "Hmm? Oh, where did those boys go?"

A muffled cough from Ava's room had Mrs. Oates rushing out of the kitchen and into the young woman's bedroom. She went straight to the Ava's side, resting her hand against her forehead. "Oh, still pretty high," she murmured to herself.

As she was pondering her next step, Pierce came in through the door in his black tank top and jeans. "Oh, there you are!" she smiled, turning to him. "Do you think you can help me get her to the bath?"

Without a word, the tall Daemos stepped forward and scooped Ava up easily in his arms. He followed Mrs. Oates into the bathroom and waited by the side of the bathtub as she tested the water.

She gave a quick gasp, wincing. "Too hot!" The elder woman immediately turned on the cold water tap, swirling the water with her hand to help even out the temperature. "Oh, much better. Be a dear and gently put her in."

A few soft splashes sounded as he obeyed, being sure to keep Ava's head above the water. "There we go," Mrs. Oates hummed, turning off the faucet. "Let her sit for a moment. Come: follow me." She lead the way back to the living room, Pierce following close behind.

* * *

As Mrs. Oates and Pierce exited Ava's bedroom, the other four Daemos were already assembled near the fireplace. "Alright, you boys wait here. I need to grab something." She turned and walked down the hallway, stopping outside Emerald's bathroom and knocking on the door. "Are you all right in there, Emmy?"

To her surprise, the door opened right away. Emerald had gotten dressed in some black yoga pants and a grey t-shirt with two t-rexes trying to hug. "Yeah, Mrs. Oates." The taller woman gave her a somewhat sturdy smile. "I'm feeling a bit better now. Thanks for watching Ava while I got cleaned up. I can take it from here."

"Oh no you don't," Mrs. Oates scolded, wagging one finger. "I said I was going to take care of you two, and that's what I intend to do. You also promised me you'd lie down if you started feeling sick again: how am I supposed to make sure you take care of yourself if I'm not here?"

Emerald opened her mouth to protest, but swiftly closed it again and let out a defeated sigh. "Fair enough. I guess I'll go make a cup of tea in the kitchen and work on a grocery list, then."

The senior woman gave her a small smile. "That's a much better idea. You go sit down, dear. I'll be back in two shakes of a lamb's tail."

The veteran watched Mrs. Oates leave, then made her way to the kitchen. _'Hopefully they've all calmed down a bit by now,'_ she thought tiredly.

* * *

"Why is this taking so long?"

"Patience, Noi," Rhys soothed. "It's fair to make the obvious assumption that humans heal much slower than Daemos. They also seem to have... certain rituals."

_"As long as Princess Ava's all right... "_ Asch murmured softly under his breath.

"Did you say something, Asch?"

The Daemos prince hurried to cover his tracks. "I-I-I-I-I said 'as long as this mission's all right.' We've... been here on Ee-urth for quite some time."

"Yeah, but you don't seem to mind it," Leif scoffed.

He sighed in resignation. "I've grown tired of yelling."

"Well, _that's_ a first."

"Shut up before I change my mind!"

"Well that lasted long!"

"Guys, keep it down," Emerald croaked tiredly, walking into the kitchen. "Ava's resting."

"Dame Emerald!" "How are you feeling?" "Are you better yet?" The Daemos began bombarding her with questions.

"Shh... " The veteran held up one hand, closing her eyes against the onslaught of noise. "I'm feeling better, but I'm nowhere _near_ over this headache yet." She filled the kettle with water, then placed it on the stove and started up the burner. "Don't mind me. I'm just making some tea and a shopping list. As long as you guys keep it down, we'll all be fine."

"Of course," Rhys said softly, mindful of how loud his voice was.

Noi, who had remained strangely quiet, spoke up. "Uh, shouldn't we be worrying?" The other Daemos turned to him in confusion. "I would think if we were gone for long that... someone might come after us?"

"I'm sure Lady Grandma would have something to say about that," Pierce broke in calmly.

Asch nodded. "That's right. Besides, I don't think there's enough magic on Daemos for anyone else to make it to Ee-urth."

"That's right. It would take someone of _high_ standing in order to follow our path. Even then, I'm sure we're not traceable, seeing as Lady Grandma - " Rhys cut himself off, looking down at the pendant hidden beneath his clothing. _"Wait... Lady Grandma... I haven't spoken to her in **days**..."_

"W-what's the matter?" Asch questioned his advisor.

"I, um... just forgot something."

"What if the High Council found out about what we did? With the last soul?" Leif let out a soft gasp. "What if they found out and traced it back to Lady Grandma? Heh, they'd probably kill her."

The other Daemos looked at the former assassin in abject horror. "Do you think so?" Noi whispered, sounding scared.

"I mean, that's likely the case, but it's only been a few days, so... so most likely not."

"It's been many suns since we've arrived." Pierce mused.

"Yeah it has, but for some reason, doesn't time seem... "

"To go slower? Yes, it does," Rhys agreed. "It is absolutely slower here than on Daemos."

Asch stared at him. "How can you tell that for a fact?"

"I have my methods."

"You aren't using magic, are you?" Noi still sounded worried.

"Since when do you care about my magic?"

"Since _**I** _don't have any! Because if I did, I could probably heal Ava!"

"Hey guys?" Emerald called from the kitchen, holding her right hand over her right eye. "I know you're all worried about Ava, but trust me: she's going to be fine. Just... tone it down with all the yelling, yeah?" The veteran seemed about to say more, but the kettle behind her began to whistle, drawing her attention away from the Daemos while she prepared her tea.

"Of course, Dame Emerald. Our apologies." Rhys turned back to the smallest Daemos. "Noi, I think it's best you calm down. We have enough magic to - "

"Here we are!" Mrs. Oates called out gently, walking back in with a book in her arms. "My recipe book. Now I know it isn't as _fancy_ as the websites on the internet, but I've cooked up a mean soup that could cure any cold."

_"She has a spellbook!"_ Rhys whispered with barely-contained excitement.

Asch also seemed awestruck. _"Actual human spells?!"_

_"But we can't read well... "_ Noi reminded them.

_"I can."_ Rhys cut in.

_**"Great!** Then let's **kill** her for it!"_ Leif practically vibrated with excitement.

Pierce turned to the others calmly. _"We need to help Ava and Emerald first."_

_"That's right."_ Noi nodded.

Mrs. Oates hummed in annoyance. "You know, whispering in front of other people isn't a very nice thing to do."

"M-my sincerest apologies," Rhys stuttered out.

"Aren't manners reserved for royalty?" The Daemos prince cried out in pain as his advisor punched him in the shoulder. From the kitchen, Emerald let out a small bark of laughter.

"Royalty?" The senior citizen gasped in shock. "Wait... are you young men from out of the country?!"

Before any of the Daemos could respond, Emerald rushed over to join the group, carrying a cup of tea in her hand. "Ah, that's my fault, Mrs. Oates. They're from... out of the country and are still getting used to some of the customs here."

"Oh, so you knew these boys from before?"

"Yeah, I met them when I was... deployed! I'd been keeping in touch with them for a while, then decided to invite them to come over for a visit." The veteran _prayed_ Mrs. Oates would think the sweat on her forehead was from the fever and _not_ from the blatant lie she'd just told.

Luckily, it seemed the senior woman was wrapped up in more of her own fantasies. "Oh _my!"_ She dropped her recipe book as a blush spread over her cheeks. "Oh, you just reminded me of my old flame, Kyle." She broke down into more girlish giggles.

"Flame?" Rhys was intrigued.

Leif didn't seem to believe her. "A prince of fire?"

"A rival for a kingdom... " Asch mused.

_"All of you, shut up!"_ Emerald whispered fiercely under her breath, praying the older woman was too caught in her memories to pay attention to what they were saying.

Thankfully, it seemed that she was. "Oh my, where do I begin? You know, when I was a young girl, I got around a _lot_. Much more than Ava and Emmy, that's for sure." She laughed as the veteran nearly choked on her tea. "Of course, back then, we had to go looking for flings, and couldn't just get them on the internet and - "

"WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH MAKING SURE AVA IS HEALED?!" Noi screamed in frustration.

_"Thank_ you, Noi!" Emerald had finally finished coughing, thankful she hadn't spilled any tea on the floor.

Their combined outbursts was enough to refocus Mrs. Oates. "Oh, right." She bent down and retrieved her book. "So here... " she carefully flipped to a page before turning the book around for them to see. "I'd like you boys to take this book and buy all the ingredients on this page here. Here: I'll give you some money to get the items."

"That won't be necessary, Mrs. Oates." Emerald reached over and gently took the book, taking it over to the coffee table. She quickly scribbled down the ingredient list on a piece of paper she pulled from her back pocket. "I've been meaning to go to the store myself, and it looks like my check _finally_ went through yesterday. I can cover the cost of these."

"Oh, are you sure, dear? I don't want you going through all your money at once."

"It's no problem. I told you: I need to go to the store anyway. Besides, I'm not feeling well either, so I'll probably be eating some of the soup myself. It's only fair I should pay for it."

"Forgive me for interrupting, but I think it would be best if some of us accompanied you." Rhys gave her a meaningful look. "You are not recovered and should not have to carry everything back here alone."

"Guys, I've done this plenty of times. It'll be fine - "

"I have to agree with Rhys," Asch cut in.

Emerald and the other Daemos all looked at him in open surprise. "Really?" the former spoke up.

"Of course. If you collapse on your way back, Princess Ava will never get the soup and be healed."

"Asch!" Rhys exclaimed in shock.

"He... actually has a point." Emerald sighed. "I haven't been to the store for a while, so there's going to be a lot of shi - stuff to haul back."

"I will assist you," Pierce spoke up, coming to stand next to her.

"In the meantime... " Mrs. Oates looked around at each of the Daemos in turn, settling her gaze on Noi and giving a little growl. "You."

"M-me?!"

"I'm going to need you to help with Ava. Do you think you can do that?"

"Anything!"

"Alright, now you five move along. Once you get back, we'll make something special for Ava and Emmy to get better. In the meantime Noi, I need your help cleaning Ava up."

"Right!"

As Noi and Mrs. Oates retreated into Ava's bedroom, Emerald downed the last of her tea in one gulp. "Okay, let's get going." She waved the list at them as she placed her mug in the sink. "We've got a lot of stuff to pick up."

* * *

"Uh, not this box again," Asch muttered in annoyance as they stood in front of the elevator.

Emerald patted his arm. "Don't worry: I'm here this time. I'll give you a full rundown so it doesn't take you guys an hour to go down two floors." She pointed at the call buttons. "We'll need to push the 'Down' arrow so we can get to the ground floor."

"I wanna do it!" Before anyone could object, Leif raced over and smashed the button down.

"Okay, that was _technically_ correct, but you don't need to be so rough with it."

"But I _wanted_ to!"

Before she could respond again, Emerald heard a voice ring out behind her. "Oh, it's you guys." _'Oh no... this is the last thing I needed right now.'_ She turned to face him along with the rest of the Daemos.

Jake was staring at the group in annoyance. "Can you guys not clutter up the hallway?"

"It's this _human,"_ Asch spat out.

"Do I know you guys from somewhere?"

Leif's eyes shined in anticipation. "Should I kill him?"

"Excuse me?!"

"Could you excuse us for one second?" Emerald pulled the Daemos into a conference circle, lowering her voice. _"You guys need to chill out and be smart about this,"_ she whispered fiercely. _"We cannot let other people know you guys aren't really human."_

_"Or else they'll take us to the Area 51,"_ Pierce cut in solemnly.

_"Yes, correct!"_

Leif looked around. _"So what do we do?"_

_"Just let me take care of this. It'll be fine."_

"I'm literally right here," Jake groused.

"Yes, so you are," she mumbled back, straightening up. "Look, we're just waiting for the elevator to get here. Shouldn't take too mu - " Emerald was cut off as the doors gave a small *chime* and opened up. "Ah, there we are." She herded the Daemos inside, then turned back to Jake. "You coming?"

"Uh, yeah. I was going to the first floor." He stepped past her and entered.

"Well, what a coincidence: so are we." She looked around the elevator quickly. "Rhys, could you please push the button marked 'G'? It stands for 'Ground'."

"Oh! Of course." Slightly flustered, the spectacled Daemos managed to successfully push the correct button.

* * *

Meanwhile, Mrs. Oates and Noi had gone back into Ava's bathroom, the former pulling the plug to let the water out of the tub. "Here," she turned, holding out a fluffy pink towel. "Use this to pick her up, then bring her over to the mirror so I can dry her hair."

Noi quickly complied, carrying Ava over bridal-style once she was wrapped up to where the elder woman was waiting with a hair dryer. "Now, the sound is going to be loud. Oh, hopefully it doesn't wake her."

The small Daemos's eyes went wide with panic. "Is that a m-m-m-_monster?!"_

* * *

Emerald could feel Jake staring at her. After a few moments, she turned to him in annoyance. "What?"

"Are you okay? You look kinda pale... "

The veteran blinked once, then sighed. "It's nothing. Just a little head cold. But Grocery Day has no mercy, so I need to go out."

"Why didn't you just give the money to these guys?"

"Because it's on my debit card, and I didn't feel like messing around with an ATM." She felt a little guilty even as she snapped at him. "Do you have any more _burning_ questions that need to be answered right now?"

"N-no. I'm sorry," Jake hastily apologized, pointedly looking away.

Before Emerald could form any sort of apology, the doors gave another *chime* and opened at their destination. Everyone piled out and exited the building, Jake leading the way and veering off once they were outside.

Rhys let out a relieved laugh. "Well, that time was far shorter than the last."

"That's how it's _supposed_ to work," Emerald answered, rubbing the bridge of her nose gingerly under her glasses.

Leif gave her a curious look. "Hey, you okay?"

"Hmm? Oh... yeah. My headache's just kicking up a little." She carefully straightened up, collecting herself. "The sooner we get this over with, the sooner we can come back and I can lie down again."

Just at that moment, everyone heard an ear-piercing shriek of terror coming through the open window of Emerald and Ava's apartment. "Do you think Noi's okay?" Pierce wondered as he stared up at the source of the noise.

"He's with Mrs. Oates: he's fine," Emerald reassured him.

"This will be our first real outing without Princess Ava." Leif sounded a little unsure.

Asch looked around at his knights. "Let's be on our guard."

"As long as you stay close to me, everything should be okay." The veteran lightly tapped Pierce on the shoulder, pointing down the sidewalk. "C'mon, let's get this over with."


	14. Chapter 13 - Overdoing It

_This is a work of fanfiction. All characters (except Emerald) belong to Aphmau / Jessica Bravura._

_Cover Art belongs to Aphmau / Jessica Bravura._

_Please don't sue me._

* * *

"Don't worry, Ava. I'll protect you!"

Noi knelt in front of the small human where she was propped against the boxes in her closet. As soon as he'd heard the 'monster' begin roaring in Mrs. Oates's hand, he had reacted purely on instinct and hidden in the closet to keep his princess safe.

"Hello?" On the other side of the closed door, the old woman in question kept knocking on the door. "Hello? Are you all right?"

"What were you trying to do?" the small Daemos asked, sounding betrayed. "I thought you were going to _help_ Ava!"

"My late husband didn't like loud, sudden noises either, so I can completely understand if you were caught off-guard or bothered." She paused for a moment. "Come to think of it, I don't think Emmy appreciates them, either. Oh, I _do_ apologize. I can assure you though Ava is perfectly _safe."_

Noi cracked the door open and peered out cautiously."A-are you sure?"

She laughed in relief. "Oh yes, yes. It's just a hair dryer used to dry hair. If Ava keeps her hair wet for too long, she may get even more sick."

"R-really?!"

"Of course. Don't you dry _your_ hair?"

"No... "

"Hmm... well, I suppose your hair is short enough to dry on its own. Either way, don't worry about it. I can dry her hair myself while you wait in the other room if it makes you feel more comfortable."

"Oh, no!" Noi insisted, throwing the closet door open. "I wanna help Ava feel better!"

"Oh, what a nice young man you are, overcoming your fear for her," Mrs. Oates cooed.

"N-nice?"

"Yes! I can tell you care for Ava a lot. Must be hard having to share her with all the other hunks," she finished with a laugh.

"Share?"

She waved him off. "Oh, we'll talk about it later. Come: let's dry her hair, then we can get her dressed in something nice and warm." As Noi nodded and turned to retrieve Ava, Mrs. Oates became lost in thought. _'Come to think of it, I don't remember if Emmy took the time to dry her hair before they all left for the store... '_

* * *

"That wasn't a far walk at all." Rhys seemed surprised how little time it had actually taken them to arrive.

Emerald gave him a tired smile. "Why do you think I was trying to get Ava to get a job here? It's close, convenient, and we really could've used that employee discount if she'd gotten hired." She suddenly let out a mighty sneeze, barely covering it with the crook of her arm. "You know, you guys _really_ didn't need to come along. I could've managed this myself."

"Your feelings of inadequacy are of no concern to us, prisoner," Asch sneered. "It is more important to complete this mission so Princess Ava can reco - " He was interrupted as Emerald sneezed again. "See?! I will not risk success to spare your pride."

"Yeah, yeah," she muttered, wiping her nose on a tissue she'd brought along in her pocket.

"We could've gotten here faster, you know," Leif mumbled in annoyance to Rhys.

"Of course we could have, but look around you." The spectacled Daemos gestured to the humans milling about them in the mall. "Humans seem to prefer to walk. To do anything else out of the norm would cause panic."

"But how do we _know?"_ The Daemos prince seemed curious to explore this option.

"Don't you recall when Leif jumped out of the window with Ava?"

"Oh yeah," the former assassin smiled. "That was _fun."_

"I prefer our method of travel as well," Pierce cut in.

Emerald looked around the group in curiosity. "What, exactly, _is_ the Daemos method of travel?"

"We will follow Ee-urth customs while out in public." Rhys was very careful to direct her attention away from talk that might give her too much insight into their world. Even if she wasn't feeling well at the moment, he suspected she could piece together a lot if they gave her enough to work with.

She shrugged, not bothered by the subject change. "Fair enough." The veteran entered the store, motioning for them to follow along. "Let's get the stuff on the list and go home."

* * *

"Ugh, this is taking _forever!"_ Leif sighed in annoyance.

Asch had his arms crossed like a pouting child. "I agree! How much longer are we going to be forced to wander this 'store' until we are done?"

Emerald looked up from the list, leaning against the cart handle. "Look, I haven't been able to shop since I got that stuff for the musubi, and even then that was only supposed to last a day or two. Now that I've gotten paid properly, I can resupply the kitchen and show you guys some _real_ cooking recipes."

"Do you have your own spell book like Mrs. Oates?" Rhys's eyes lit up at the thought.

"Mine's not organized in one place like hers, but I do have some recipes I've printed off over the years and saved." She grinned a little. "You can also cook without a recipe if you've memorized it, but sometimes it's fun to just experiment and see what happens."

"You can _do_ that?!"

"Yeah, but I wouldn't recommend it right now. I'm not exactly swimming in disposable income at the moment, so we should just stick to things we need. Maybe next time I can get a little extra for us to play around with." She turned her attention back to the list, but paused. "Do you guys want to help make this go faster?"

"Yeah!"

"Absolutely."

"The sooner we're done, the better."

"Yes."

Emerald chuckled. "Okay. I'm going to teach you guys about a little something called 'Labels'."

* * *

It took some time, but with Rhys guiding them the other Daemos picked up on the concept pretty quickly. There were only a few more items left to get, plus a few things Emerald had thought of at the last minute.

"I'm starting to get annoyed with how long this is taking," Asch grumbled as he returned with the bag of onions he'd been sent to fetch.

_"Oh, hush,"_ Emerald whispered, leaning a bit more heavily against the cart handle as she rubbed her forehead before she looked at him. "Could you please go help Leif and Rhys find the chicken broth? We're almost done."

The Daemos prince huffed, but actually listened for once and walked down the nearby aisle.

"Are you okay?" Pierce asked quietly beside her. He noticed she'd been slowing down as they traversed the store.

"Hmm? Oh, yeah." She stood up a little straighter, giving him a shaky smile. "My head's just... hurty. Probably doesn't help I didn't actually _eat_ anything before we left... " A chuckle. "Should've had more than just a cup of tea."

The tallest Daemos frowned, leaning in closer. "You are too warm."

"Hmm?" Emerald touched her cheek with the back of her hand, frowning at what she felt. "Well, that's stupid." She sighed tiredly. "Figures."

"Dame Emerald, are you feeling all right?" Rhys came up beside her, placing the broth carefully into the cart as he studied her. "You look unwell."

"Fever's picking up." She blinked tiredly, looking at her list again. "Doesn't matter, though: we're almost done."

"Is it as bad as Ava's?" Rhys moved to check her temperature himself, but the veteran blocked his hand with her arm.

"It'll be fine." Emerald glanced behind him. "Where are Asch and Leif?"

A loud clatter, followed by Leif whooping in delight, met their ears from the next aisle. Rhys and Emerald sighed at the same time. "I'll go get them," the former muttered. "Pierce, please stay with her and assist in any way you can. I think we need to return to the apartment."

The tall Daemos nodded, moving to Emerald's right side as she pushed the cart along. "What is left?"

"Two more things: shredded cheese and a box of Derpy-Eyed Munchie Bear Pops." They had arrived back at the dairy section, so she reached over and got two large bags of shredded mozzarella.

Pierce examined the bags once she put them in the cart. "I do not recognize these symbols from your list."

"Not on it." She coughed into her elbow, wincing. "Heard Noi likes pizza. Gonna make some."

"Then, the Derpy-Eyed... "

"Ice cream. For Rhys." Another cough. "And everyone else." She pushed the cart towards the freezer section, leaning on the handle as she walked. The Daemos general resumed his place at her side, watching closely. _'We need to leave soon,'_ he thought, a little worried. _'She seems to be feeling worse.'_

Emerald stopped the cart near a wall of freezers and opened a door. The air that came out was absolutely frigid, but she didn't seem to mind. Pierce was fascinated as he watched her stick her head inside and close her eyes, seeming to appreciate the cold. Before he could ask her what she was doing, the veteran straightened up and grabbed two boxes of the Munchie Bear Pops.

No sooner had the two of them turned around, Rhys walked up with the other two Daemos. "Are you done yet?!" Asch barked out, scowling.

She nodded carefully. "Just hafta' pay." They made their way to the checkout without further incident, although the group did receive several odd looks from the other shoppers. The veteran didn't seem to notice, mechanically placing each item on the counter. Once the cart was empty, she returned it to the corral before coming back to stand with the Daemos.

The cashier was equally mechanical, taking her time on each item before carefully bagging it and moving on to the next.

Asch threw his head back and sighed dramatically. "This human is _so slow!"_

"Patience, Prince Asch." Rhys was quick to intervene.

The cashier (Jane, according to her nametag) sighed. "Look, I don't get _paid_ enough to go faster."

_"I can make her go faster... "_ Leif whispered, reaching back towards his knives.

Emerald shook herself out of the daze she'd been standing in and smacked his arm. "No. Bad Leify."

The former assassin looked absolutely offended, but sighed and stood sulking with his hands by his side. "Fine."

"That'll be $92.78."

Emerald pulled out her wallet, but then stood staring at it for a few seconds. When she didn't move, Leif poked her in the side. "Hey, what's the hold up?"

"Hmm? Oh, yeah... " She pulled her debit card out and completed the transaction, almost dropping the receipt when the cashier tried to hand it to her.

"Are we done here?" Asch growled.

"Yeah." She moved to grab the bags, but Rhys and Pierce beat her to it. "Allow us to assist, Dame Emerald," the former said softly. He gently reaching past her to grab one of the bags as the latter grabbed the other two. "It is why we came along, after all."

She stared at him for a moment, before Asch poked her shoulder a bit roughly. "Move it, prisoner!" He lead the way out of the store, not slowing down to see if he was being followed as he was confident in his knights' loyalty.

Leif lightly pushed Emerald's shoulder as well. "You heard the man. Let's get going." The veteran had no choice but to move, walking after Asch and Leif as Rhys and Pierce followed close behind her.

* * *

"Guys... wait a sec... " Emerald paused outside the mall doors, leaning against the light post stand as a wave of dizziness overcame her.

"Pierce, take this." Rhys handed the Daemos general the bag he'd been carrying, going immediately to her side. "Dame Emerald, are you all right?"

"Yeah. Juss'a little... dizzy... " She shook her head to clear it, falling back to sit on the stand. "A lot dizzy... "

Rhys tentatively reached out. When she didn't immediately block his hand, he grew bolder and placed it against her forehead. "You are incredibly hot," he murmured with worry.

To his surprise, she giggled lazily. "Hotter'n Ava?"

"Um, I'm not sure." He looked back to the other Daemos for help, flustered at her sudden shift in behavior.

"We need to get back to the apartment, _now._ My patience has run dry." Asch glared at Emerald. "Get up, prisoner!"

"Asch, stop!" Rhys reached down and helped her stand, draping her arm over his shoulder to support her. "Her sickness seems to be intensifying."

"We should not have allowed her to accompany us." Pierce stepped up, studying her closely. "She has been getting worse for a while now."

"No, I think it would have taken us longer to gather the ingredients without her." He frowned when Emerald didn't respond, instead leaning her head against his shoulder.

Leif stared at them impassively. "If _she's_ doing this badly, then Ava is probably dead by now."

"Dead?" The Daemos general looked terrified at the thought.

Rhys shook his head. "We need to abide by the human conduct. Walking is the preferred method and - "

"What about that?" Leif pointed at a passing car.

"That... does seem faster."

"Leif, obtain one," Asch commanded.

"On it." The former assassin approached the nearest car and easily ripped the door off in one smooth motion. "Got it!" he boasted, tossing the door aside with one hand.

"Good work, Leif!" Rhys began helping Emerald walk towards the car. "Let us hope this thing is swift enough to get us back before Ava or Emerald suffer further."

Asch puffed up his chest, acting every bit the Royal he was as he sauntered towards the car. "I will command this... thing."

Pierce placed the bags on the floor of the backseat, then carefully maneuvered himself to sit inside. On the other side, Rhys helped Emerald get in and sit next to him. She leaned into the tall Daemos, resting her head on his shoulder and humming happily.

"Emerald?"

_"Shh,"_ she whispered, wrapping her arms around his. _"It's like spooning an ice sculpture."_

Leif laughed as he sat on her other side, shutting the door behind him. "She sounds like a _lot_ more fun right now."

"It is... worrying," Pierce confessed.

"Oh, enjoy it. It's probably the first time she's let loose in her entire life."

"All the more reason for us to get back," Rhys broke in as he sat in the front passenger seat.

Asch took his place in the driver's seat, leaning back. "Indeed. This outing has taken far longer than it should have."

Once they were all settled, Pierce took the time to actual study the vehicle. "What is this?"

"It seems to be a carriage." Rhys turned slightly to face the backseat. "How is she?"

"Icy snuggles," she practically purred.

Leif interrupted. "But if this is a carriage, where are the minotaurs to pull it?"

"We must yell at it. That's how things work here." Asch glared at the steering wheel. "TAKE US TO AVA'S HOME!" There was a pause, then growing embarrassment as anything failed to happen.

"Ha!" Rhys laughed out happily. "See?! Yelling does _not_ prompt things to happen all the time. Allow _me_ to inspect." He roamed his eyes over the interior, stopping when he saw the pedals. "Look Asch: there seems to be steps for you to place your hands on. Perhaps meant for royalty."

"As to be expected," the Daemos prince bragged.

"Place your feet on them. See if anything happens."

He complied, growling when nothing happened. "Nothing. We're wasting our time!"

"Keep your feet on them. Perhaps applying _more_ force will make this thing move." Rhys continued studying the vehicle. He saw the key in the ignition and leaned in. "There seems to be a small pressure plate next to the - "

The car roared to life as he turned it, bringing out panicked screams from the Daemos... and quiet laughter from Emerald. "Turn key make vroomy go," she giggled, sitting up a little.

"We've angered it!" Leif screeched in fear.

Rhys placed his hand on the gear shift. "Perhaps if we _pull_ this, we - "

The car lurched into gear, peeling out of the parking space and quickly picking up speed as Daemos cried out in terror. However, it was short-lived as they crashed into a fountain, breaking through the side. They all sat stunned as water rushed onto the ground.

"WHAT WAS THAT?!" Leif shrieked as he looked around.

Asch was shaken as well. "W-what did we do?!"

"Aww, little car is _broken."_ Emerald sounded genuinely sad.

"We seem to have drawn attention," Pierce interrupted, noticing the crowd gathering outside the vehicle. He quickly checked the veteran for any injuries: while they as Daemos could withstand much harder blows, it was his experience humans were much more fragile.

She closed her eyes, leaning into his touch as he checked her head. _"So nice... "_

"Resort to Daemos methods of transport!" Rhys ordered, panicked.

Leif stared at him. "BUT YOU SAID - "

**"Now!"**

The former assassin didn't need to be told twice, phasing away instantly.

Pierce helped Emerald exit the car, handing her off to Rhys before reaching back in to retrieve the bags. The spectacled Daemos quickly lifted the veteran bridal-style in his arms, holding her tightly to his chest. _"This may be a bit uncomfortable,"_ he warned her under his breath.

She frowned at him a little, but then snuggled into his arms and tucked her head up under his chin.

Pierce and Asch quickly appeared next to him, the former carrying the hard-won grocery bags. They gave each other a quick nod, then leapt into the air and flew back to the apartment, oblivious to the shocked stares of the people below.

* * *

Back in the apartment, Mrs. Oates was busying herself in the kitchen. She had expected Emmy and the boys to be back almost an hour ago, but supposed they were taking their time because the woman wasn't feeling well.

Turning around, she was shocked to see all of them standing in the kitchen. A knowing smile crept onto her face when she saw Rhys carrying Emmy aloft in his arms. "Oh! I didn't even hear you come in."

"We were quiet," Rhys rushed out, laughing nervously and hoping Emerald wouldn't say anything to blow their cover.

"Oh, how considerate," Mrs. Oates cooed. "But you don't have to be quiet anymore: Ava's awake."

"She is?!" All the Daemos exclaimed in shocked unison.

"Mmm-hmm. But she's still sick, so trust me: the ingredients you got me were not in vain." She motioned for Pierce to put the bags on the counter. "I figured Emmy might be getting worse, so I went ahead and started cooking with a few things I already had in my home." The old woman set her sights on Rhys. "Do you think you can help me?"

"Me?" He was a bit taken aback, and not just because Mrs. Oates had singled him out. He could hear Emerald murmuring under her breath, and she'd just whispered something about _"swooshy time through the sky."_

"Yes. You seem to be the smartest, and the most handsome, in my opinion." She gave a knowing glance to the veteran in his arms. "Emmy seems to think so too, given how comfortable she looks right now."

"Do as needed, Rhys," Asch commanded languidly. "I'm going to go check on Princess Ava."

"Myself as well." Pierce followed after the Daemos prince.

Leif also took the opportunity to bail. "What they said."

"But - " Rhys cut himself off, sighing. "Fine. I see this as an opportunity to learn more."

"Perfect! But before we do that... " Mrs. Oates approached him, placing her hand against Emerald's forehead. She frowned as she felt the woman's temperature. "Oh, that's not good. Her fever's definitely worse than it was before you all left. Let's get her to bed, then we can focus on the soup."

Rhys followed her down the hallway to Emerald's room, casting nervous glances down at the human in his arms. Her eyes were barely open as she leaned against his chest, her lips moving but no sound coming out. _'Did we make a mistake allowing her to come along?'_ he thought worriedly.

Mrs. Oates interrupted his musings. "Go ahead and get Emmy tucked in. I'm going to get a fresh cloth for her head." She headed off towards the bathroom.

He nodded, bringing Emerald over to her bed and gently setting her down on the mattress. As he covered her with the sheet, she weakly tried to grab his wrist as it came up. _"Where's... ice boy...?"_ she murmured softly, searching his face.

"I-I'm sorry. I don't - " He cut himself off as Mrs. Oates came up next to him, placing a cold cloth on the veteran's forehead. "She has been acting odd ever since we left the 'mall.' Is she in danger?"

The old woman placed a thermometer in Emerald's mouth, then gently held her wrist. She stared off into the distance for a few moments, then removed the thermometer when it beeped. She looked at it before giving him a reassuring smile. "Her temperature is a little higher than Ava's was, but it's not too serious." She tapped him gently on the shoulder. "We'll let her rest for now."

Rhys followed her towards the door. "She has been asking me where 'ice boy' is. Do you know what she could mean?"

Mrs. Oates gave him a curious look. "Was one of the other boys holding her?"

He nodded. "Pierce, the tall one, was supporting her earlier. She kept grabbing his arm and... snuggling it."

The elder woman laughed. "Sounds to me Emmy really likes that one. We'll have him come in later." As they exited the room, she closed the door softly behind them. "Come now: let's finish the soup."

* * *

Meanwhile, Asch and the other Daemos burst into Ava's room in a rush. They were greeted by the sight of her sitting up in bed, propped up by pillows and sweating. Johnny Cat was sleeping at her side, Noi standing watch close by. "Prisoner!" the Daemos prince roared in lieu of greeting.

_"God,_ so you guys weren't just a fever dream," she muttered tiredly.

"Nope!" Noi chirped out happily. "We're real!" He turned to whisper to Asch. _"I keep telling her that... "_

Pierce seemed relieved she was able to speak again. "What happened to you?"

"I got overheated in your hot tub. Guess I ended up getting sick because of it." She let out a weak laugh. "Just like Em warned me, come to think of it."

"Why didn't you recover after one sunset?" Leif interrupted.

Another weak laugh. "Humans take longer to recover. Wait... " She looked around again. "Where _is_ Em?"

"She has fallen ill as well," Pierce confessed, feeling oddly guilty. "She has been unwell all day, but insisted on leading us through the grocery store. Now it seems she is just as sick as you were this morning."

Ava sighed. "Mrs. Oates tried to stop her, huh?"

"Yes."

"Well, at least she's still here to make sure Em gets some rest." She looked around at each Daemos in turn. "Have... you guys been taking care of me?"

Noi let out a happy chuckle. "Yes!"

"Kill and take care of," Leif grinned.

Pierce nodded. "Yes."

Ava laughed softly. "Thank you," she said sincerely.

"Don't flatter yourself, human. You know why we need you. Don't think of it as anything - " Asch was cut off as she suddenly coughed, his eyes going wide with concern. "Are you all right?!" He slowly became aware of the other Daemos giving him looks. "What?! I-I need her not to die... yet... "

"I'm fine," Ava muttered, leaning back into her pillow. "I'm feeling much better now that I've had rest. It'll take me a day or two, but I'll be back to normal if you guys keep taking care of me." She closed her eyes. "I... still need... rest... "

"Ava!" Noi cried out in alarm.

Asch stared at her in panic. "What happened?!"

* * *

Out in the kitchen, the soup was finally coming together. "There." Mrs. Oates spooned some into a bowl, turning to Rhys.

"What does it do?" He was intrigued to see what they had made.

She held the bowl out for him to take. "Taste it."

He carefully slurped from the side, his eyes flying open with excitement once the soup hit his tongue. "T-This is... the best potion I've ever tasted!"

Mrs. Oates frowned at him. "I forget: you boys are from overseas." She sighed. "I suppose when you look as good as you boys do, you don't really _need_ a lot of smarts." She winked at him. "Especially when you - "

From Ava's room, Noi's voice suddenly rang out. "I won't let you die, Ava!"

"Not agaaaaain!" Asch screeched out.

"Oh, looks like they're back at it already." Mrs. Oates gave a knowing laugh. "Come on: let's get this soup to Ava."

Rhys sighed in resignation, following her with the bowl. Just before he entered Ava's room, he glanced down the hallway towards Emerald's closed door. _'We were so focused on making Princess Ava better, we pushed her too hard.'_ he thought guiltily. _'We should take the time to properly care for her once Princess Ava has been settled.'_

* * *

About half an hour later, Ava had eaten and was resting comfortably in her bed. Mrs. Oates went back to the kitchen, ladling some more soup into a second bowl. As she turned back, she was only a little surprised to see most of the boys standing there waiting: only the one in the leather jacket was missing.

"Ah, I see you boys want to check on Emmy with me," she smiled. "Why don't you all go on ahead: I'll be along in a bit with the soup."

The four Daemos knights made their way down the hall, pausing outside Emerald's door. "Do you think she will be angry with us?" Pierce asked, turning to face the others.

Leif laughed. "I don't think she even knows what _realm_ she's in right now, let alone able to remember what happened earlier."

"Leif, this is serious," Rhys reprimanded. "You saw how long it is taking Princess Ava to recover, and she had the advantage of a full day of rest in her bed. We allowed Dame Emerald to travel unrestricted, even rushing her along at times, and now she is even more ill than she was this morning."

Noi looked between the three of them, wringing his hands with worry. "Do you think she'll be okay?"

"I think as long as she gets some of the soup Mrs. Oates made and a good night of rest, Dame Emerald will be better by tomorrow." Rhys reached past Pierce and opened the door, leading the way inside Emerald's room.

The veteran was still lying on her bed in the same position he and Mrs. Oates had left her earlier, although the cloth was no longer on her forehead. As he approached, Rhys could see the sheets were disheveled, as if she'd been moving around in her sleep. _"Dame Emerald,"_ he whispered softly, gently laying one hand on her shoulder.

To his relief, she blearily opened her eyes. "Oh, hey," she muttered, giving him a weak smile.

"How are you feeling?" Pierce came up next to the bed, Noi peering out from behind him.

"Hot. Tired." Emerald swallowed thickly. "Thirsty."

"Oh, I know what to do!" the smallest Daemos called out with pride. He carefully nudged his way closer. "Pierce, can you help her sit up? Then I can stack some pillows behind her."

"Okay." The Daemos general lifted her easily, holding her aloft while Noi ducked in and adjusted everything. Once he had finished, Pierce set her back down. As he moved to let go, Emerald suddenly clung to his arm. He looked at her in confusion.

"Please, don't go... " Emerald's face was flushed, but she didn't break eye contact. "Sit with me?"

"Okay." Pierce carefully settled himself at her side, unable to hide a small smile when she leaned her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes. He could almost _swear_ he heard her making the same sound the Johnny Cat spirit made when he was being pet.

"Oh, it looks like someone's comfortable," Mrs. Oates giggled from the doorway, carrying the fresh bowl of soup.

"Eh, she was a lot more fun before," Leif grumped. Now that Emerald was recovering, she wasn't as entertaining to the former assassin as she'd been earlier. "I'm gonna go check on Ava again." He turned on his heel and stalked out, not looking back.

"I can help her with the soup, Mrs. Oates." Rhys reached out to take the bowl.

She gave him a knowing look as she handed it over. "Oh, I believe you can," she smiled, giving him a wink. "Just let me check on her first, and I'll leave you to it." The elder woman approached the bed, grinning at the sight of Emerald snuggled into Pierce's side. "Emmy," she cooed, placing her hand against the woman's forehead.

The veteran opened her eyes, meeting Mrs. Oates's gaze. "Hi," she muttered tiredly.

"You think you can eat something?"

Emerald nodded carefully. "Yeah, I think so."

"Well, that's good at least." Her face sobered a little. "Your fever still hasn't broken yet, but you feel a little cooler than you did earlier." She straightened up, removing her hand. "Try to eat as much as you can, then I want you to go right to sleep. Okay?"

"Yeah." Emerald pulled herself somewhat upright, although she was still leaning noticeably on Pierce.

Mrs. Oates turned to Noi. "Noi, why don't you come help me clean up in the kitchen?"

"Oh! Um... " The small Daemos looked between the other two. "I mean, I'd like to stay here and make sure Emerald is okay, but - "

"You should go with her." Pierce's tone of voice was not one that invited challenge.

"Okay... " Reluctantly, he followed the elder woman out the door.

"You guys don't have to stay, you know." Emerald met Rhys's gaze. "I can manage it on my own."

"Forgive me, but I must disagree." He sat at the edge of her bed, stirring the soup carefully with the spoon. "I'm afraid we _all_ took advantage of you today, and now you are feeling even worse. The least we can do is help you recover now."

Pierce nodded. "Agreed. Your dedication to duty is admirable, but you must remember to take care of yourself as well."

Emerald opened her mouth to argue, but swiftly closed it with a sigh. "I can't... argue with that." She gave them a tired smile. "Okay, then. I guess you two are joining me for dinner?"

* * *

To her credit, Emerald managed to finish almost the entire bowl. There were only a few bites left when she stopped, leaning heavily against Pierce's side. Over the course of her meal, he'd adjusted his arm around her back to help her sit up.

"No more?" Rhys held out the spoon, but she shook her head. He nodded back, standing up to take the bowl out to the kitchen. He looked at Pierce. "Could you stay with her for a moment? I'll be right back."

Pierce nodded, careful not to disturb the veteran by his side. This was the calmest she'd been all day and he didn't want to ruin it. He found himself smiling as she rubbed her cheek against his shoulder, letting out a contented sigh. "Are you feeling any better?"

"A little bit." She tilted her head slightly to look up at him. "Sorry for being - "

"Stop." The Daemos general gently covered her mouth with his hand, removing it after a few seconds. "You have done nothing wrong." He stared at her, daring her to argue. When it was obvious she wouldn't, he gently stroked the top of her head with his hand. "Sleep now. We will take care of _both_ of you while you rest."

Emerald yawned, closing her eyes and letting her head fall back against his arm. He had not used any magic this time, yet she seemed to already be asleep. He didn't know if it was due to how exhausted she was, or if it was because she was finally beginning to trust them.

With a gentleness not to be expected from someone of his stature, Pierce laid her down and covered her up again. He placed his hand on her forehead, frowning slightly at her temperature. _'She still feels hot. We should ask Mrs. Oates to check on her again soon.'_

"Oh, she's asleep." Rhys came up next to him, looking Emerald over.

"On her own this time, too." He straightened up, removing his hand.

"Good." He looked at the Daemos general. "Come: Mrs. Oates is preparing to depart, but she wanted to talk to us first."


	15. Chapter 14 - How to Train Your Daemos

_This is a work of fanfiction. All characters (except Emerald) belong to Aphmau / Jessica Bravura._

_Cover Art belongs to Aphmau / Jessica Bravura._

_Please don't sue me._

_*Contains multiple cuss words and some descriptions of bodily injury. Gird your loins, children!*_

* * *

Mrs. Oates stood near the kitchen as she prepared to leave, facing all five Daemos. "All right, you boys. I think you're all more than capable of taking care of Ava and Emmy from this point on. Just do as I taught you every day until they get better. And make sure they get plenty of rest." She paused, a resigned smile working its way onto her face. "Especially Emmy: she can be too stubborn for her own good sometimes."

"We will make sure it happens," Asch proclaimed regally.

Rhys chuckled. "What I believe Asch is trying to say is: thank you. For all of your help."

All the Daemos knelt down on one knee in respect... except for Asch. He looked around at his knights and, letting out a sigh / eye-roll combo worthy of any angsty teen, lowered himself down as well.

"Oh, my!" Mrs. Oates was eating up all the attention eagerly. "You are all so courteous in such a way I can't describe. You all make me feel like a princess."

"Mrs. Oates?" Rhys caught the senior woman's attention gently as he and the others stood. "May I ask... how did you learn to heal humans as you do?"

She tucked her hand under her chin, lost in thought for a moment. "Hmm... well, I suppose it all started when I was a little girl. My mother would get sick very often. But no matter what, she would always get up to clean up after mine and my brothers' and sisters' messes. She hated a messy house, I'll tell you that." She sighed sadly. "Then, one day, she couldn't get up for the mess anymore. So as the older sibling, I had to step in and clean up for her. I guess you could say a tidy house kept her asleep... but a messy one kept getting her up!"

Mrs. Oates laughed at her own little joke before growing serious again. "But yes, basically that's where I learned to care for the sick." She paused again, giving the Daemos a little smirk. "Well... that and all those years of nursing I did!" More giggling. "Well, I've got to get going to Bingo Night now." She winked, blushing. "I heard there's a hot new hunk hosting the game tonight, and he's about _my_ age. Oh, maybe I can get myself a Sugar Daddy!" The elder woman laughed happily at the thought. "See you all later," she drawled flirtatiously, turning and meandering out of the apartment.

Once she was out of earshot, Pierce turned to the others. "Did you hear that?!"

Rhys nodded. "Yes, I did."

"Mrs. Oates is gonna find a lava human?!" Noi gasped in awe.

"No, Mrs. Oates's story."

Asch nodded to Rhys. "I think I'm on the same page as you."

"You are?!" His advisor looked at him in shock.

"Hmm, yes."

"Wow, Asch is really getting smarter," Leif grinned, trying to provoke the Daemos prince.

"I've always been a wise battle tactician."

Pierce gave him a meaningful look. "Similar to your brother, I assume."

"Let's not talk about my brother..."

"Tell me what you thought of just now," Rhys prompted.

"We need to make a mess."

Noi was utterly confused. "What?"

"That's right. If we make a mess, Ava will _hate_ it, and she'll be forced to get up!"

"Exactly," Rhys nodded in agreement. "It seems like humans have a motivation to clean."

"Will doing that really help Ava?" The smallest Daemos sounded skeptical.

"We should exhaust all options." To test the theory, Pierce reached over and knocked a potted plant off the room divider.

Asch laughed appreciatively. "Good start, Pierce! Now let's keep doing it!"

After about twenty minutes, the Daemos paused in their destruction. Almost everything that could be knocked over was now lying on its side. Leif had gotten a little too enthusiastic with the destruction and almost broke a few things, while Asch had started setting several things on fire. Rhys quickly brought _both_ behaviors to a halt, noting that there would be nothing left for the humans to clean if everything was destroyed (and a reminder not to waste any magic).

Noi looked around at the mess they'd made. "Do you think she'll get up right now, or will it take a bit until she notices?"

"I am unsure." Rhys paused, thinking. "This may not have been a prudent idea right now. If it disturbs Dame Emerald, then she will not get any rest like Mrs. Oates suggested... "

A soft groan from down the hallway seemed to prove the spectacled Daemos correct. He looked to Pierce, who nodded back as they both headed towards the taller woman's room. Noi hesitated for a moment, then followed along as well.

* * *

_Hot._

_Everything around Emerald was hot, suffocatingly so. Something heavy and sharp was pressed uncomfortably close to her stomach. She struggled to open her eyes, not knowing if she should, but she was curious to find out the source of the roaring sound filling her ears._

_A wall of fire greeted her, flooding her vision with light and danger. It wasn't too close to where she was yet, but it was enough to fill her with fear. She tried to push against the weight pinning her down, but her left arm was trapped under her body._

_"Is anybody there?!" Emerald called out, immediately coughing as the hot air dried out her throat. "Guys?!"_

_Something scrambled around near her right hand, finally grasping it carefully. She felt fingers intertwining with hers, holding firm. "Vic? You still alive in there?"_

_Emerald had no idea who was speaking, just that it was someone who knew her. "Something's got me stuck!" she called back, trying to pull herself free. Now that she had something to hold onto, maybe she could -_

_**"STOP!"** Whoever had her hand squeezed it tightly in warning, another hand coming through to rest on her right shoulder. "Whatever you do. Don't. Move."_

_She froze, catching the near-panic in the other person's voice. "... that bad, huh?" she wheezed out, barely daring to breathe._

_"Just stay still." Whoever was there ran his thumb over her knuckles, trying to keep her calm. "Fire department's on the way. Guys are trying to keep it under control." Emerald took the opportunity to glance down, morbidly curious about what was keeping her pinned._

_"Oh **fuck!"** She slammed her eyes shut, hoping when she opened them there **wouldn't** be a large bomb casing resting precariously over her body, barely held in place by some twisted rebar. It was the latter which was jabbing into her skin, spiraling around from where it had been knocked loose from the wall._

_"Vic, calm down." More movement over her knuckles, but the hand on her shoulder withdrew. "I'm right here. Focus on me."_

_"Don't let go." Emerald breathed the words out, eyes still firmly shut. She squeezed the hand in hers, desperate not to lose hold of the only safe thing. Time seemed to freeze, or maybe she passed out for a bit, but it felt like only a few moments had gone by before she heard the voice speaking again. It sounded scared._

_"Vic! C'mon, don't do this. Not now." She felt fingers jamming uncomfortably against her wrist and twisted to get away, only to be held fast by the hand on hers. "Oh thank God," the voice breathed out in relief. "Vic, you need to stay awake. Okay?"_

_Emerald nodded carefully, finally daring to open her eyes again. She was a bit alarmed to see the debris seemed to have shifted... and not in a good way._

* * *

Rhys led the way into Emerald's room, pausing at the door as he cracked it open. What he saw was enough to make him swing it wide open. The veteran was tangled in her blankets, left arm pinned tightly under her body. Her right hand was free, flailing wildly against the side of her nightstand.

"Emerald!" To everyone's surprise, it was Noi who dodged his way around the others and rushed to her side. He grabbed her free hand, holding it it firmly between his own to keep her from hitting it against the table anymore.

To their further surprise, it seemed to calm her down some. She stopped struggling against the sheets, although her breathing was still elevated. He took the opportunity to examine her knuckles, rubbing lightly where she had scrapped them on the wood. The woman groaned again and squeezed Noi's hand tightly.

"How did you know to do that?" Pierce approached carefully, taking in Noi's actions and Emerald's response.

"Princess Ava did something similar while you guys were gone. Mrs. Oates said to just hold her hand and stay close until she calms down." The smallest Daemos was visibly puffed up with pride: it wasn't often he knew something the others didn't and he was determined to show them what he could do.

Rhys came up to stand between them. "Fascinating," he murmured, observing as well. "Perhaps we were a bit hasty in 'making the mess' after all. Dame Emerald is not resting comfortably." He reached over and carefully disentangled her left arm, immediately leaping back in shock as she suddenly sat up.

"E-Emerald!" Noi stuttered, barely keeping hold of her hand. "Are you...? "

Pierce stepped up, looking closely at her face. "I do not think she is awake." He waved his hand in front of her, frowning when she failed to react.

"I think you're right." Rhys tentatively reached out and touched her shoulder.

Emerald shuddered hard, then blinked and glanced up at him blearily. "What're you doin'?" she muttered. She looked down and noticed Noi holding her hand. "What're _you_ doing?"

Noi let go of her like she was on fire. "S-sorry! You were having a bad dream and Princess Ava had one earlier and Mrs. Oates said holding hands could help and I just wanted to help you and - "

The veteran reached over and lazily pressed her finger against his lips. "Shush. You're loud." She flopped back down on her bed, snuggling deeper into the blankets. "Goin' back ta' sleep."

The Daemos looked at each other in silent shock for a moment before Rhys gently shook her shoulder. "Dame Emerald, would it be all right if one of us stayed with you tonight?"

She peeked out from the blankets to stare at him, face unreadable. "Sure. Go for it. Knock yourselves out." Emerald disappeared back under the comforter. "Just let me get some sleep."

He nodded, then turned to the others. "We should take turns staying with her tonight. If this is any indication, Dame Emerald is not going to rest, which means she will not recover. If she does not recover, she will not be able to assist us in taking care of Princess Ava."

Noi nodded. "I'll go first. Mrs. Oates taught me what to do, so I can stay here until Emerald falls asleep."

"Are you sure?" Pierce fixed the smallest Daemos with a penetrating glare.

"Y-yes, I'm sure." He straightened up. "You can leave it to me. I'll make sure she gets some rest."

"Well then, we'll leave it to you for now Noi." Rhys motioned to the Daemos general. "Let's get some rest ourselves. You can go next, then I will remain with her until the sun rises."

"Okay." Together, the two blue-eyed Daemos made their way out of the room, closing the door behind them.

Once they were gone, Noi climbed onto the side of the bed and carefully reached over to take Emerald's hand where it poked out from the top of the comforter. He held it carefully in his hand, examining the fingers closely as he sat there. As he looked over the back of her hand, he noticed there was a small scar near the base of her left ring finger._ 'I wonder how she got this,'_ he thought in curiosity.

* * *

_Creaking._

_All Emerald could hear was the creaking of metal and the roar of fire. The rebar twisting over her body was beginning to succumb to the weight of the bomb casing resting on top of it. As it bent, the sharp ends began to dig into the skin of her lower abdomen. She twisted her head upwards, not wanting to know how close she was to being impaled. Instead, she opened her eyes to try and see who was holding onto her right hand._

_All that met her eyes was a wall of darkness, so deep she couldn't even see her own hand even though she knew it was only inches from her face. Emerald tried once again to pull her left arm free -_

_**"SHIT!"** She bit back any further curses, worried she would hurt herself more. Turns out another piece of metal had been wedged near her left hand, the edge biting into her ring finger and cutting into her back. The woman felt blood flowing, but had no idea how bad the damage was._

_"Vic?" The hand holding hers gave a careful squeeze, followed by another brush against her knuckles. "You okay?"_

_"Yeah," Emerald gasped, wincing in pain. "Just... did something stupid. Cut myself."_

_"Where?"_

_"My hand. Maybe my back." She gave the barest laugh she dared. "Guess I need to be more patient."_

_A low, worried chuckle answered her. "Just try to stay still. Fire department is getting the fire under control, but EOD has to wait 'til they're done."_

_"EOD?" Emerald dared a quick glance down. "Oh, yeah. Bomb threatening to slowly crush me." She coughed, throat dry from the air. "Fun times." When there was no answer after a few moments, she gave the hand holding hers an experimental squeeze. "Everything okay?"_

_The extended silence did absolutely nothing to calm her nerves._

* * *

Pierce entered Emerald's room without bothering to knock. He hadn't liked the fact Noi was staying alone with her and had been anxious to come back and take over. He found the smallest Daemos sitting on the bed next to the veteran, holding her hand as he stroked her hair.

"How is she?"

Noi jumped. He'd been so focused on the human, he hadn't heard the Daemos general coming in. "Oh! She's... " He sighed. "She keeps having bad dreams."

He furrowed his eyebrows, approaching the side of the bed. "Has she gotten any rest?"

"A little bit. But I don't think she's comfortable." He gave him a worried look. "She won't let go of my hand." Noi demonstrated, gently trying to pull out of Emerald's grip. She let out a low murmur and squeezed it tighter, curling up on her side.

Pierce frowned as he placed his hand on her forehead. Her skin felt hot, but she now had a sheen of sweat covering her skin. "She is sweating now. I believe that is a good sign." He felt a small smile creep up his face as she leaned into his touch.

Noi let out a small, happy laugh. "I think she likes you."

The tall Daemos cleared his throat, blushing slightly as he removed his hand and straightened up. "We are _supposed_ to be courting Princess Ava."

"I know. But I don't think it would hurt." He blushed as well. "Princess Ava seems to like it when we get along with her, and Mrs. Oates already thinks we're courting both of them."

Before Pierce could respond, Emerald groaned and cracked an eye open. "Are you two done yapping yet?" she grumbled, glaring at the two of them.

"Sorry!" Noi let go of her hand and jumped off the bed in one smooth movement. He retreated out of the room, closing the door behind him. "See you tomorrow!"

Pierce and Emerald watched him go before looking at each other. The former sighed. "Do you require anything?"

She shook her head. "I'm okay for now. Just... having some pretty weird dreams."

"What are they about?" He carefully slid onto the bed, making sure not to sit on any part of her hidden under the blankets.

She scooted over slightly to make room for him. "Stuff from when I was still in the military." The veteran yawned loudly, flipping her pillow over before settling back down. "One really bad day in particular."

"Do you wish to talk about it?"

Emerald shook her head furiously. "Ava doesn't even know about most of this stuff. There's no way in hell I'm spilling it to someone I've known for barely a week." She gave him a sheepish look. "No offense."

"None taken." He deftly leaned over and smoothed her hair, keeping his hand on top of her head when he'd finished. "Sleep. You are still unwell."

She gave him a tired nod, snuggling deeper into the sheets. It seemed she was asleep again within moments, her breathing even and calm.

Pierce surreptitiously reached down and took her hand in his, hoping it would help ward off any more unpleasant dreams. Although, from what he had just seen with Noi, he wasn't sure how effective it would be...

* * *

_Pain._

_Emerald barely dared to breathe, as every movement sent biting pain through her lower abdomen. She squeezed the hand holding hers, desperate to find any relief from the fire that was stabbing into her. "Anybody there?"_

_She heard a low voice near her ear. "I'm really sorry about this." At the same time, the hand holding hers began to slide out of her grasp._

_"Nononononono**NONONO!"** Emerald scrambled desperately to hold on, but stopped dead in her tracks when she felt the rebar slide lower, slicing through the top few layers of skin on her body. "Don't let go! Please... "_

_Something sharp stabbed into her sides, digging deep. She involuntarily arched her back against the pain, forcing the rebar further into her stomach. She tried to scream, but couldn't draw any breath. Her eyes flew open in shock -_

_\- and a grinning monster filled her vision._

* * *

"Emerald?" Pierce leaned down over the veteran, gently shaking her sides to awaken her. He had left her for only a moment to retrieve a glass of water and to re-wet the cloth for her forehead, but she seemed to be in the throes of another nightmare.

She groaned and twisted, seemingly trying to escape his grip. He ran his hand over her hair, noting it was almost soaked with sweat. "Can you hear me?"

Her eyes flew open.

* * *

_It was just... staring at her._

_Emerald didn't dare look away, barely daring to breathe as the creature met her eyes with its oily black, unblinking ones. Teeth sharp as blades, claws like needles digging deeply into her sides, it was huge and filled her vision._

_She felt something drip from her body as she was lifted into the air and brought closer to the thing's face. The rebar jutted from her abdomen, somehow disconnected from the wall it'd previously been attached to._

_Hot air blasted against her face as the monster opened its mouth, teeth dripping with saliva. It removed one hand from her body and, to her horror, began to stroke her head, the movement both comforting and terrifying at the same time._

_Emerald didn't dare blink, bracing herself against the pain radiating from her torso. With confusion, she noticed the fire seemed to have died down. In fact, everything had died down: no fire, no noise, no people. Not even the wall and bomb casing remained in view._

_It was just her and the demon, alone in a sea of blackness and heat._

_From somewhere near her ear, she heard whispering. The words were unfamiliar, foreign, yet they seemed to be trying to comfort her. At the same time, something cool passed over her forehead. It brought relief from the oppressing heat threatening to crush her._

_She closed her eyes, blocking out the creature holding her aloft._

* * *

Pierce pressed the cloth against Emerald's forehead, whispering the words to an ancient Daemos fable to give her something to focus on. It seemed to be working, as her eyes fluttered shut.

He sighed in relief as her breathing evened out. _'Noi was correct,'_ he thought. _'This illness is not letting her rest at all.'_ The Daemos general resumed his place at her side on the bed, sitting up as he cradled her head in his hand.

Emerald groaned and opened her eyes again, albeit slowly this time. _"Wh... wha?"_

_"Are you awake?"_ Pierce whispered.

Barely perceptible, she nodded. _"Bad dream was bad."_ A shudder. _"Maybe I'm still dreaming... "_

_"Sleep. I will remain while you rest."_

The veteran settled into his side, closing her eyes and sighing. _"For now... "_

* * *

Hours later, Rhys made his way to Emerald's room. A quick meeting with Noi confirmed his fears: the taller woman had not rested well. _'Maybe Pierce had better luck,'_ he thought as he opened the door to her room. _'He seems to be better at calming her than the rest of us.'_

Pierce looked up at him from his place by Emerald's side and nodded in greeting. The woman in question was sitting up, leaning heavily against the tall Daemos's shoulder.

"Dame Emerald." Rhys nodded to her, approaching the bed. "Have you gotten any rest?"

She shook her head slowly. "Keep having weird dreams," she muttered tiredly.

"Nightmares continue to plague her," Pierce added, reaching over to grab the glass of water on the nightstand. He helped her take a few sips, then placed it back down. "She has had several since I took over for Noi."

"I see." Rhys approached and placed his hand against her forehead. To his surprise, she leaned into his touch. "Your temperature seems to have dropped slightly, and you are sweating."

"Yeah. Fever's breaking, so I'm a puddle of gross." She gave him a weak grin. "Gonna have to do _so_ much laundry."

"We will worry about that later." The spectacled Daemos nodded to Pierce. "I will take over from here."

The Daemos general nodded in return, carefully disentangling himself from Emerald as he helped her lie down. She briefly grabbed his hand, but a quick glance at Rhys was enough to calm her again. She released him, smiling feebly. "Still super clingy. Sorry."

Pierce gently patted her head, adjusting her hair behind her ear. "Rest. Rhys will stay with you." He straightened up and, giving the other Daemos one last nod, exited the room.

Rhys was looking through the books on the shelves of her room. "Would it be all right if I read some of these while I stay with you? There are some unusual titles here I wish to examine."

Emerald nodded. "Go for it." She closed her eyes, not surprised when she felt the bed shift and Rhys's hand go to her head.

"Would you like me to read aloud to you? It may help you feel more relaxed while you rest."

A small smile. "I'd like that a lot."

* * *

Ava sat up tiredly in her bed, Johnny Cat asleep next to her. As the sun began to peek over the nearby buildings, she quietly counted down. "Three... Two... One... "

On cue, the door to her room flew open. Johnny Cat leapt up and ran out, weaving his way through the Daemos as they came in. "Prisoner...!" Asch bellowed, approaching her bed.

She sighed tiredly. "Predicatable."

"Are you better yet?!"

Noi glared at him. "Ava, Emerald, and Mrs. Oates all said it would be a few suns before they - "

"They're taking forever to recover!" Asch shot back.

"She's awake on her own today," Pierce interrupted, his voice optimistic.

Ava closed her eyes tiredly. "Yeah. No thanks to Leif."

"Whoops." The former assassin glanced off to the side, trying to hide a smile.

Asch sounded exasperated. "What did you do?"

"I kept her _busy_ last night," he boasted, letting out a small laugh as Noi stared at him in horror.

* * *

_Ava groaned as something repeatedly poked her forehead, unsurprised to see Leif kneeling by her bed staring at her._

_"Are you dead?"_

_"I'm sick. Leave me alone."_

_"I'm just gonna wait here to make sure you don't die yet."_

_"How thoughtful," Ava drawled out sarcastically, turning to face away from him. A few seconds ticked by before she felt something touch her again in a very... unusual place. She sat up in panic, turning to face him. "Why did you poke my butt and with what?!"_

_"I poked you with my weapon. What else would I poke you with?"_

_"Just let me sleep!"_

* * *

"... and he kept poking me, throughout the night," Ava finished flatly. "Look: he's doing it right now."

Leif was standing right next to her, absentmindedly pressing his knife into her hair repeatedly. He didn't even seem to be aware of it until she turned to glare at him. "Oh, uh... " He sheepishly sheathed his weapon. "Whoops."

"Cut it out, you - !" Asch roared.

Noi interrupted. "Are you feeling better, at least?"

"Mmm-hmm. I'm feeling much better. Thank you guys for taking care of me."

The smallest Daemos blushed darkly. "Oh, uh, y-yes!" he stuttered, laughing nervously.

Ava smiled at them, but it fell as she glanced around the room. "Where're Rhys and Em?"

"Good question." Asch threw back his head and bellowed. "Rhys! Where are you?!"

The spectacled Daemos entered Ava's room, carrying an open book in his hand. "I'm here! And I am _alive!"_

"Rhys?" Ava blushed, noticing he was still had the glasses Emerald had given him. In all the craziness of the last two days, she hadn't had the time to take a proper look at him wearing them. He looked... _hot_.

"These 'glah-says' that Dame Emerald bestowed upon me are amazing! At first, I wasn't sure what had happened, and I assumed she'd just cast a spell on me. That is, until I remembered she has no magic." His eyes practically sparkled with happiness at his new discovery. "This is lasting longer than _any_ other spell we tried on Daemos!"

"Huh?"

"What are you talking about?" Leif stared at them in confusion.

"Lady Grandma and I had been working on solving the issue with my vision distance. We've casted spells, but they were only for a period of time. These 'glah-says' are lasting as long as they are on my face!"

"Yeah... that's what glasses _do,"_ Ava muttered under her breath.

"It's wonderful! I can't _believe_ we've never looked into something like this on Daemos."

Noi was making his "impressed" face again. "Wait. Those last forever?!"

"Let me see," Asch commanded, stepping forward. Rhys removed the glasses from his face and handed them to the Daemos prince. He put them on, squinting through the lenses. "Ugh, they just make my seeing eyes worse."

"I wanna try!" Noi laughed happily, holding out his hand. "Oh, I see worse," he whined once the glasses were on his face.

Ava scoffed. "Well, duh. It seems like Rhys got lucky and has similar eyesight to Em. Not everyone has - "

"I'd like to try." Pierce took the glasses from Noi, carefully placing them on his face. "My seeing eyes are bad too." He sounded disappointed.

Asch looked around at his knights. "What does this mean? Do they serve no other purpose?"

"It seems that way."

"Gimme those!" Leif phased in, practically ripping the glasses from Pierce's face before phasing back. He held them up in front of his eyes, studying them closely.

"Uh, be careful!" Ava warned.

Rhys looked at her in curiosity. "Why?"

"Maybe you can kill someone with 'em... " The former assassin gave Ava a wicked look before poking her in the forehead with the folded lenses.

She glared at him, trying to dodge the pokes. "Ow! Hey, quit it!"

"Useless piece of - " He cut himself off, stabbing her more vigorously until...

_Snap._

Everyone froze, Rhys letting out a horrified gasp at the glasses (now neatly snapped into two pieces along the bridge) in the former assassin's hand. Leif stared at it nervously. "Ah... oops... "

* * *

Emerald slowly forced her eyes open. She'd heard some muffled yelling from outside her door, but it didn't seem to be particularly worrying yet. _'What time is it?'_ She felt exhausted, like she hadn't slept at all, even though the sun was definitely coming up over the nearby buildings.

She ran a hand over her face, sputtering a little when a washcloth fell down._ 'Rhys must have gotten another one at some point.'_ It was confusing, though: the veteran knew she'd heard him reading to her for the past few hours. _'Must have gotten a couple of micro-naps in there somewhere.'_

The yelling was getting louder, which was a bit concerning.

Emerald had barely finished sitting up when Ava burst into her room, looking panicked. "Ava? What's wrong?!" The veteran tried to stand up, but the smaller woman ran over and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Quick, where are your glasses?"

"Uh, there on the table." She gestured at the nightstand. "What's going on?"

"Leif tried to stab me with Rhys's glasses and broke them and Rhys is freaking out and I don't want them to break anything or kill each other."

Emerald blinked as she tried to wrap her head around the words. "Go ahead: I can fix his pair later." She thought for a second. "There's some Munchie Bear Pops in the freezer if he needs a little extra help calming down."

Ava nodded as she grabbed the extra pair. "I'll be back. Don't worry: I got this." As the smaller woman ran into the kitchen, she was worried to see Rhys and Leif squaring off in the living room amidst a sea of knocked-over items.

**"You have no right to exist!"** The former Daemos roared as he summoned ice in each hand.

"You're not the first person to tell me that!" Leif shot back, wielding both knives in an attack stance.

Ava approached carefully, holding the glasses and ice cream behind her. "W-what's going on?"

"Rhys is upset at Leif." Pierce made it sound like the most obvious thing in the world.

"I mean, _I'm_ usually upset at Leif."

"Yes."

"He's upset because Leif broke his gla-ahs," Asch droned lazily. He didn't seem particularly worried about the confrontation taking place.

"I mean, _damn_. I've never seen Rhys pissed off before. I didn't think he was that type." Ava made a mental note to let Emerald know about this later: it was definitely something she would want to know.

Noi looked at her in confusion. "Type?"

"Y-yeah, uh, like... I just haven't seen him act like that."

"Rhys _controls_ his temper," Pierce explained patiently.

"Better than any of _us,"_ Noi added, laughing.

Asch gave a smug grin. "Usually."

Their attention was all drawn back to the fight when the sound of glass shattering met their ears. Leif stared at his weapons, both blades completely frozen over. "Hey!"

"Next time, I won't miss," Rhys threatened, voice low.

"What do you expect me to do? I don't have any other 'gla-ahs' for you!"

"I'm _sick_ of you! For too long, you've been _disobedient!_ Despite your past, you've learned _nothing!"_

"It isn't my job to learn! My job is to kill!"

"And you haven't done that now, have you?"

"Silence!"

" - will be welcomed, once I destroy you." Rhys began focusing his magic for a second attack.

"Heh, bring it."

Ava ran in between the two Daemos, looking back and forth in panic. "No one is bringing anything!"

"Move out of the way!" Rhys ordered, glaring around her. "He broke my - " He cut himself off, magic sputtering out as Ava held up Emerald's glasses in front of him. "Glah - gla-sses?"

"These are Em's, so you'll have to be careful with them until she can fix the pair she gave you earlier. But she said you can borrow these until they're ready."

"Th-thank you." Rhys sighed as he took them, placing them carefully on his face. He cleared his throat. "I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me. I - "

"Yeah, Rhys," Leif taunted. "You should really know your place and conserve your magic. Am I right?"

The ice balls reappeared as the spectacled Daemos glared. **"You - !"** He was cut off again as Ava held up an unwrapped Munchie Bear Pop in front of his face. His eyes went wide with wonder, magic vanishing as he gasped in delight.

"I-I also got this for you from the freezer." For some reason, Ava felt herself blushing. "Em said she bought some yesterday, and that it might help you calm down."

Rhys stuttered incoherently before he managed to compose himself, taking the offered treat. "All is at peace for now," he sighed happily.

Ava sighed in relief as well. "Crisis avert - ah!" Her eyes went wide as she finally took a good look around the apartment, noticing all the scattered items and knocked-over furniture. _'Em is going to lose her **shit** if she sees this!'_ "What the - ?! What is - ?! It's only been a day! How did this happen?!"

Having already finished the ice cream treat, Rhys met her gaze. "Oh, yes. Ah, I can explain... "

* * *

While Rhys was explaining their reasoning to Ava, Emerald slowly wandered out of her room. She had a feeling something wasn't right in the apartment, but all she was really focused on at the moment was getting to her bathroom.

_'Okay, today is Saturday,'_ she thought tiredly. _'I don't have anything until Monday, so if Ava's feeling better, I can take today to rest and use tomorrow to get back on schedule.'_ Satisfied with her plan, the veteran closed the door and went about her business.

* * *

"What?!" Ava stared at them incredulously. "So... wait. You got that kind of message from Mrs. Oates's sad story about her _mother?!"_

Asch nodded impassively. "Yes."

"And it worked!" Rhys motioned towards her. "You are out of bed."

"Yes, but I didn't wake up because of the mess!"

"But you woke after the mess was made," Pierce counter-argued.

"What?" Poor Noi was completely lost.

"I - ugh!" Ava glared at them. "That's not how it _works..."_

Noi raced over and rested his hands on her shoulders. "I'm just glad you're okay," he murmured in relief, staring into her eyes. The short human blushed at the sudden, focused attention he was giving her.

"We will leave you to clean the mess, Princess Ava. Please meet with us once you are done." Asch nodded to his knights, leading the way back though their portal.

"Wait... " Ava stared after them, her face growing dark with anger. **_"I just let them walk away?!"_** She charged through the portal, hot on Noi's heels. "Stop right there, jerks!"

"Excuse me?" Asch growled dangerously.

"You guys are going to help me clean up the apartment, _before_ Em finds out what you did."

"Uh... no." Leif shook his head.

"Uh, _yes."_

"Why should we?" the Daemos prince challenged.

"Because you want to learn more about the human world, don't you? Well now it's time you learn about 'responsibility'."

* * *

Once she had them all wrangled back into the living room, Ava turned to the Daemos. "Who told you guys this mess was acceptable?"

"We already told you: Mrs. Oates," Rhys explained patiently.

"Nonononono." She took a deep breath before continuing. "It's come to my attention that Em and I need to basically teach you guys from the ground up. In a way, I'm kinda glad you guys made this mess, because now you get to learn about how humans clean."

"I am interested to see - "

Asch cut him off, annoyed. "Just use your servants to clean it and leave us out of this."

Ava laughed harshly. "Surprise, surprise! Not every human has servants, and even if they did, I'm positive we would never call them servants."

"But... you're a princess." Rhys stared at her in open confusion.

"Yes. I am a... princess." The small human looked down, realizing how deep of a hole she'd dug herself by going along with this charade. _'Well, too late to back out now,'_ she thought, straightening up. "But! I'm learning to live on my own. So that means I do everything myself. Em isn't here to serve me: she's just helping me get settled so I can take care of myself. _She_ cleans up after herself every day, in case you haven't noticed."

"But... you do not." Pierce looked confused.

She took a deep breath. "I know, and I've been trying to do more to help out. But this is about you guys taking responsibility for your own actions. I'm not going to make her clean all this up, especially when _you_ guys worked her half to death yesterday!"

"Then use your magic!" Noi threw it out like it was the most natural thing in the world.

"No! Cleaning your mess with magic is called _losing!"_

"No, it's called being lazy," Asch countered. "Just use your magic like this." He raised his hand to summon a fireball, when suddenly -

"Hey! Don't you _dare!"_ Everyone froze as Emerald came towards them, stopping to lean heavily against the kitchen counter. "So help me, I will slap that ring _right_ off your horn if you keep trying to set my stuff on fire!"

"I agree: we should not be using our magic." Rhys risked a quick glance at Asch, even as he took a few steps towards the woman. "Especially since our departure - "

Asch cut him off. "I get it! We don't need to talk about that."

Ava looked between them and Emerald, confused and worried. "Departure?"

"Yes! Our departure... from... this idiotic task you are trying to get us to complete."

"Well, you wouldn't need to complete it if you didn't make it in the first place!"

"We were trying to help you get up!"

"By giving me more _stress?!"_

"It worked, didn't it?!" He pointed a finger at Emerald. "Look, even _she's_ up now, and she was sicker than you were yesterday!"

"Oh yeah, because I'm such a good measuring stick for healthy coping mechanisms!" The veteran took a step towards the Daemos, but tripped over the upturned potted tree. She barely caught herself on the side of the loveseat, holding a hand to her head as a wave of dizziness hit her hard.

"Em!" Ava ran to her roomate's side, surprised when Rhys arrived at the same time to support Emerald's opposite side. They helped her sit more comfortably on the cushions, noticing the taller woman was practically dripping with sweat. "Why are you even out of bed?"

"Had to pee. Was going to make some tea." She glared at Asch. "Saw flame boy about to set my stuff on fire."

The Daemos all stared at Emerald, a bit unnerved to see her up and about already. "A-are you feeling any better?" Noi stuttered, taking a tiny step forward.

The veteran nodded. "I still need to rest, but I should be back to normal soon." She looked around at the mess in the apartment, sighing in frustration as she started to stand. "Which I'll do as soon as I get this mess taken care of."

"Oh no you don't!" Ava pushed her back down, surprised at how easily the woman toppled back. _"They_ made this mess, _they're_ going to clean it up, and _you're_ going to go back to bed while I get you something to eat."

Emerald blinked at her a few times, then gave out a soft chuckle. "Well, I can't argue with a direct order like that." She took a good look around again. "How did this even happen, anyway?"

Rhys gave another quick synopsis of the conversation they'd had with Mrs. Oates the night before. As he did so, the spectacled Daemos took the opportunity to look her over. While she seemed exhausted, she did appear more coherent than she had the prior evening.

When it was done, Emerald took in the mess again before chuckling. "Ava's right then: you all definitely need to learn some responsibility and take care of this."

Leif stared back defiantly. "What's in it for us if we clean?"

"The satisfaction of having a nice place to live?" Ava added hopefully.

Asch scoffed. "That's stupid."

"You're stupid!" she shot back.

"I mean... there is _some_ delight in cleaning." Rhys cut in helpfully, hoping to diffuse the escalating situation. He could feel how tense Emerald was by his side, all of it focused on Asch. "But I do not understand why _we_ have to do it."

"Because it teaches responsibility!" Ava growled out through clenched teeth.

"Ugh,_ fine!"_ The Daemos prince was acting exactly like an angsty teenager. "We'll do it if it'll get your talking to stop!"

"I like Ava talking," Noi broke in, blushing. This drew a bark of laughter from Emerald, who quickly tried to cover the noise with her hand.

"Shut up!"

"I'm rather intrigued by this 'satisfaction' Ava speaks of." Rhys chuckled. "Admittedly, I don't think any of us have ever cleaned before."

Ava felt her jaw drop. "Y-you haven't?"

"I have." Leif waited as all the Daemos expressed their shock. "Uh, yeah, I have. Didn't always live in the kingdom, you know."

"What's it like?!" Noi was absolutely gobsmacked.

"It's... one... of... _the_ most... boring and dumb tasks ever. I only ever did it once or twice."

"Eh, that's it: we're out." Asch motioned for his knights to leave.

Ava stared at him in shock. "But - you just _said_ \- !"

"Leif said it was dumb and I don't like dumb things."

_"Pfft, do you like yourself?"_ she whispered under her breath. Emerald had to suppress another wave of laughter.

"Well... perhaps it's different from Daemos methods." Rhys cut in again, trying to get everyone refocused.

"Different from - " Emerald gasped as an idea occurred to her. "Wait, I've got it!" She stood again, slower this time, with Rhys keeping one hand on her arm to steady her. "Ava, come with me: we've got a plot to execute."

* * *

Once they were safely shut away in Emerald's room, Ava turned to the taller woman. "So, what's the plan?"

Emerald went to her desk, moving aside a box. She ducked underneath, emerging with a blank whiteboard. She grinned as she turned to Ava. "We're going to make a Chore Chart."

"A... Chore Chart? You mean, like something you'd use to tell kids what they're supposed to do so they can get an allowance?"

"Basically, yeah." Emerald sat in her desk chair, pulling out a ruler and some dry erase markers. "Our roommates need motivation and they seem to like competing with each other. Why not set them against each other to see who can do the best job getting the apartment back in order?"

Ava barely held back her laughter. "Should we make a 'Prize Box' too?"

The veteran paused. "That is _brilliant."_ She looked towards her closet. "I think I have an old chest in there from my LARP days."

The smaller woman disappeared, emerging a few moments later holding the box triumphantly over her head.

"Perfect! Why don't you go see if you have anything you can toss in there? In the meantime, I'll finish this up." Emerald turned back to the board, measuring out seven spaces.

"Wait... seven?"

"Yeah. It only seems fair to include ourselves, if we're going to make this a regular thing."

Ava nodded, running back to her room to find things to include in the box. After a few minutes, she returned, the box rattling with mystery prizes.

"Nice." Emerald sat up and stretched, showing Ava her creation. The whiteboard had been divided into seven rows, the far left column containing a cartoon sketch of each resident. "What do you think?"

Ava grinned. "I love it." She looked closer at the drawings. "Why does Asch look so grumpy?"

"When _doesn't_ he look grumpy?"

She laughed again. "Hmm, I notice some of these drawings have a little more detail than the others... "

Emerald found herself blushing, but decided it must be from her fading fever. "Hey, if this is going to be a regular thing, I'd like it to look nice." She opened one of the drawers of her desk, pulling out an old stack of magnetized stickers. "We can use these to track completed jobs."

Ava took them, flipping them over to see the design. "Cat face stickers? Where did these come from?"

"Some promotional thing from a company I did some editing work for while I was in college. I thought they were cute, so I didn't want to waste them on something silly." She shrugged. "This seems like as good a cause as any."

"Okay, leave this to me." Ava put everything on the floor near the door, then took Emerald by the arm. "Now come on: you need to rest."

"Wait, what?" The veteran allowed herself to be pulled to her feet. "But - "

"Nope." The smaller woman gave her a gentle push towards the bed. "You ran around with them all day yesterday trying to get stuff to take care of me. Now it's my turn to take care of you." She looked away sheepishly. "Besides, I haven't really been doing a lot to help out lately. Let me make it up to you."

Emerald gave her a tired grin as she sat down on the mattress. "Thanks, Ava." She glanced over to her nightstand, noticing the broken glasses and frowning. "Hold on: let me see how bad this break is first." She picked up the frames and examined them closely.

"Is it bad?"

She shook her head. "It's actually a pretty clean break. All I need is the Super Glue from my desk, and I can get this put back together right now."

Ava retrieved the tube, but held it out of her reach. "I'll give this to you, but you have to _promise_ me you're going to lie down as soon as it's done."

Emerald rolled her eyes, but then smiled. "I promise I will lie down and get some rest for the rest of the day."

She handed over the glue, then took a deep breath. "You think this will work?"

"If you really play up the idea of a competition and prizes, you'll do just fine. Let me know how it goes, okay?"

Ava nodded, hiding the board behind her back as she left the room.

* * *

The Daemos were all still gathered in the living room when Ava came back out, dragging the board along. _'Well, at least they didn't run off through their portal while I was gone,'_ she thought with relief. "I wanted to let you guys know that humans have a _very_ special method of going about cleaning."

Asch seemed unimpressed. "Yeah. Which is... "

She pulled the board out, holding it aloft for them to see. "This is a sacred Chore Chart."

All of them seemed enthralled. "Fascinating," Rhys murmured in appreciation.

Noi gasped. "What does it do?!"

"I'm going to give you all tasks to do, and each time you complete them, you get a Happy Cat Face. If you can get three Happy Cat Faces, you get to pull from the 'Treasure Box.'" She put aside the whiteboard and pulled the chest forward, motioning towards it like a presenter on a TV game show.

Noi gasped again in barely-contained excitement.

"What's inside?!" Asch was totally into it.

Leif's eyes were as wide as saucers. "I NEED TO KNOW!"

Ava shook her head. "Nope. You guys don't get to find out until you clean the apartment. First one to clean the most gets _three_ Cat stickers. _But:_ you must keep cleaning until the apartment is back to the way it was."

Asch stood, summoning his fire. "I'll use my magic to - "

"No fire. No magic." Ava glared at him. _"No breaking things!_ Nothing. You have to do it the human way. With your hands, just like Em does."

The Daemos prince sighed in annoyance. "Fine."

"I consider this a worthy challenge," Pierce boasted.

"A competition?" Rhys smiled at her. "Brilliant!"

"Now _this_ I can get into," Leif bragged. "Especially for a prize."

Even Noi was getting into it. "I can prove I'm stronger than you guys!"

"Perfect! Now ready?" Ava dropped her hand to signal the start. "Go!"

The Daemos scattered, each eager to prove his cleaning prowess.

* * *

Once Ava was positive the Daemos were all occupied with their tasks, she went into the kitchen and got the leftover soup out of the fridge. She was pleasantly surprised to see pizza ingredients alongside the usual groceries. _'Did she get that for Noi?'_ she thought, a smile rising on her face.

In no time at all, the soup was ready. Ava carefully picked it up with a folded kitchen towel and carried to down the hallway to Emerald's room. "Em?" she called as she entered. "You doing okay?"

Emerald looked up from her phone. "Yeah. Just checking my email."

The smaller woman was sorely tempted to smack the phone from her hands, but knew it was important to the veteran to keep on top of her work. Instead, she set the bowl on the nightstand. "Anything interesting?"

"Nah, just the usual." She suddenly leaned forward, her eyes moving rapidly as she read something.

Ava didn't like the look on her face. "Bad news?"

"Hmm?" Emerald startled, as if remembering she wasn't alone. "Oh, no. Nothing like that." She locked the phone, putting it face down on the blanket next to her before giving Ava a half-hearted smile. "Just some spam that did a _really_ good job of looking legitimate. Gave me a bit of a scare."

"That makes sense." She sat down on the edge of the bed, putting her hand against Emerald's forehead. "You still feel pretty warm, but at least you're sweating." Ava made a show of wiping her hand on the comforter, giving her a mock disgusted face. "We're gonna have _so_ much laundry to do tomorrow."

The veteran laughed, reaching over to grab the bowl of soup. "Speaking of which, how'd they like the Chore Chart?" She began to eat as she waited for an answer.

"You were definitely right about the competition thing," Ava grinned. "Almost all of them are practically falling over themselves to see what's in the box."

"'Almost' all?" She cocked an eyebrow. "Let me guess... Asch?"

"Yeah." Ava sighed in irritation. "I swear, he's like a goddamn moody teenager."

"Accurate." Emerald took a couple more bites of the soup, then glanced towards the hallway. "You sure they're gonna be okay unsupervised?"

Before she could answer, Leif poked his head in. "Give me more!" the former assassin demanded, a crazed look in his eye.

"Uh, you mean you already - ?"

**"MORE!"**

"Okay! Jesus _Christ,_ Leif," Ava muttered under her breath while Emerald bit back a laugh. She looked back to the veteran as she stood. "You, stay there and eat that. I'll be back later with some more water."

Emerald gave her a small salute. "Yes, ma'am."

* * *

About an hour later, Ava came back in with a fresh glass of water. "How's it going?"

Emerald looked up from her phone again, another startled look flittering across her face before she hid it behind a small grin. "Same as always. How goes the cleaning?"

"Pretty good." She sat down at the edge of the bed again. "Did you see that group text from Pop?"

"Yeah. You feeling up to seeing them tomorrow for brunch?"

"Definitely. You know I'm always up for free food." Ava picked at one of her nails. "You _sure_ you don't mind giving me a ride?"

"Are you kidding? It'll be _fun._ You know I'm always ready for an excuse to take Rikki out for a ride." She held up one hand. "And before you ask: yes. I have an extra set of safety gear for you to wear. Wouldn't want your parents to think I'm putting their baby in danger."

The smaller woman laughed. "I've never ridden on a motorcycle before."

"You'll be fine. All you need to do is hold onto my waist and make sure you don't smack the back of my helmet with yours when we go over bumps. Easy."

"It sounds like a lot of fun." Ava looked down for a moment. "Did you get that pizza stuff in the fridge just for Noi?"

"Yeah. Same with the ice cream treats for Rhys." She shrugged. "If they're going to be staying here, it makes sense to get them some things they like. Don't you think?"

"I mean, yeah, but... doesn't that eat into your savings?"

Emerald looked at her seriously. "Look, I know you're worried about the money thing, but I promise: everything's fine. That extra work I did last month finally went through, I talked to the VA and got _that_ sorted out, and I can always put in for some freelance work if we need it." She went to say more, but was cut off by a huge yawn.

"Okay, that's enough for now." Ava reached over and took the bowl as she stood up. "Try to get some sleep, okay? I'll go check on the guys and make sure they don't bug you anymore today."

* * *

Ava finished her inspection of the apartment, pleased to see the Daemos had successfully undone all the damage they'd caused the night before. "Perfect! Now, for the winner... " She consulted the notes she'd been taking throughout the day. "Leif? You've won."

"I knew it!" he crowed happily. "See?! I didn't need to grow up in the _kingdom_ to be worthy!"

Asch glared at him. "Silence!"

"Leif, no one likes a sore winner." Ava turned back from the chart as she finished attaching the magnets. "Now, everyone else: because you guys did a great job, you all get _one_ Happy Kitty Face! Now Leif, you get to pick from the Treasure Box."

"Alright!" The former assassin ran forward, throwing open the lid and rummaging through the contents. When he stood, he was holding a large red novelty fidget spinner. "Wha-what is this?"

"Oh, uh.. tha-that's a fidget spinner." For some reason, Ava felt embarrassed that _that_ was the prize he'd chosen.

The other Daemos crowded in close, fascinated with the foreign object.

Leif flicked it, gasping in stunned amazement when it moved.

"How are you spinning it?!" Rhys demanded.

"I-I don't know!"

"Are you doing it with your mind?" Even Asch seemed obsessed with the object.

"It won't stop... "

Ava cocked one eyebrow. "Yeah, it spins for a while and - "

"This is incredible!" Asch marveled. "It keeps going... "

"Oh God, why did I put that in there," the small human murmured to herself under her breath.

Rhys kept his eyes glued to the spinner. "This is... satisfying to watch."

Pierce nodded, hardly daring to look away. "Very."

Ava sighed in frustration. "Whatever. You guys cleaned the apartment, and that's all that matters. Goodnight!" She turned and left them to the mercy of the fidget spinner, relieved that she'd at least been able to help out in the apartment for once. _'Maybe I could convince Em to put some prizes for us into the box,'_ the small woman thought happily as she headed towards her room.


	16. Chapter 15 - Choices, Choices

_This is a work of fanfiction. All characters (except Emerald) belong to Aphmau / Jessica Bravura._

_Cover Art belongs to Aphmau / Jessica Bravura._

_Please don't sue me._

_Contains some cussing, but you should all know the drill by now._

* * *

It was around 11 A.M. on a beautiful Sunday as Andrew and Devon sat at the diner, waiting for Emerald and Ava to arrive for the scheduled brunch. After the last hectic time they'd taken their daughter out, they wanted the chance to meet with her in a calmer, less distracting atmosphere. Inviting Emerald along was their peace offering, as well as a chance to show their appreciation for everything the veteran was doing.

"Well?" Andrew asked as Devon put down his phone on the table.

"They should be here soon. Ava sent me a text right before they left the apartment."

"Good! Oh right, uh, that reminds me... " Andrew's face grew serious. "... you aren't going to get nosy with them, are you?"

"What, me? No!" Devon laughed nervously, before taking a massive sip of his coffee.

"Devon... "

More nervous slurps. "Hmm?"

"You're _trying_ to avoid answering."

_"Wow,_ Andrew. A man can't drink his coffee without being attacked?"

"I asked you a simple question. You don't have to be over-dramatic about it."

"I swear, your politician side is showing a little _too_ much."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realize after all these years of marriage, you can't give me a straight answer!"

Devon sighed dramatically. "I don't think _either_ of us could give a straight answer... "

"Oh, haha. Very funny." Andrew did not look impressed at the pun.

"It's a joke, Andrew!"

"I'm serious. Answer the question: are you going to be nosy about Ava's new friends?"

"No, I'm not."

"That means you are." He sighed in resignation. "Can you at least promise me you won't badger Emerald about it? She's had a lot on her plate the last few weeks, and Ava says she wasn't feeling well yesterday."

Devon gasped dramatically. "After all these years together, I think you would know me better!"

Before he could answer, Andrew saw Ava and Emerald enter the diner, the former waving to them as they approached. "Dad! Pop!"

"Ava! My baby! Did you bring any of your friends with you?!" Devon's eyes sparkled with barely-contained excitement.

_"Told you,"_ Emerald whispered to Ava under her breath, eliciting an eye roll from the shorter woman. She turned towards the counter. "Okay, well, I guess I'll sit over there. Just let me know when you're ready to go."

"Why don't you join us?" Andrew motioned to the empty spot next to Ava at the booth. "Let us pay for your meal: it's the least we can do for driving her over for us." Reluctantly, the veteran slid in next to Ava.

No sooner had the two women sat down, the questioning began.

"Speaking of which: what are you _wearing,_ Ava?" Devon stared at his daughter's outfit, which consisted of long jeans, heavy jacket, and some fairly thick boots. Emerald was dressed in similar attire.

"I wanted her to be safe while we were on the motorcycle, so I made sure she wore the proper safety gear. Her helmet is out with mine so we didn't have to drag them inside and take up too much space." Emerald's eyes narrowed ever so slightly.

"Uh huh. And why were you two late?"

"Oh, that's my fault!" Ava was quick to intervene. "I was a bit nervous about riding on the motorcycle, so Em had to go slow. We both realized there is _no_ way I'm ever going to ride one by myself." She laughed. "But it _was_ a lot of fun."

_"Devon... "_ Andrew warned softly under his breath.

Emerald stood up. "Is it okay if I order my food at the counter and have them bring it over here? That way, you all aren't waiting for me to finish." Before they could answer, the veteran walked over to the counter.

Ava looked between her parents, grinning sheepishly. "So... how have you guys been?"

"We've been doing good! Just, uh, been a little worried about you," Andrew confessed, trying to help break the tension.

"Mrs. Oates told us you were sick!" Devon looked at her with worry. "Why didn't you call us?"

"I just needed to rest, is all."

"She told us she was helping to take care of you, especially once Emerald got sick as well." Andrew gave her an understanding look.

"Did you have any _other_ help as well?"

_"Devon... "_ the silver-haired man warned again.

"Um... I mean, some of my friends came by... "

Andrew seemed pleasantly surprised. "Oh! Well, I'm glad you had some help with - "

"Was it Noi?!"

Ava was taken aback. "Huh?"

"I swear to _God,_ if you - "

"I bet it was Noi!" Devon stood, planting one foot on the table as he launched into his theory. "I bet Ava was sick and Mrs. Oates came over to take care of her once Emerald collapsed and couldn't do it anymore when suddenly Noi was waiting outside with flowers! He ran into Mrs. Oates, who told him Ava was sick, and like a good want-to-be lover, he dashed into the room to take care of you with the power of _love!_ But then, all of those _other_ heathens were waiting to swoop in and they all came to you, our darling princess, with gifts of affection! Suddenly, your heart was torn, not knowing who to pick as the person you truly love!"

"Oh my God, please kill me now... " Andrew murmured, sliding down into his seat in embarrassment.

"Please, take me too... " Ava agreed, mimicking his actions.

"Oh, I don't know," Emerald chuckled without humor, lightly patting the smaller woman's shoulder to get her to scootch over. "I kind of liked how I was utterly useless and everyone completely ignored me in favor of fawning over you." She sat down, glancing over at Devon. "Really made me feel appreciated."

"Look, as someone who wants to write his own work of romantic fiction someday, I hope to learn more about being the object of many people's affections from all perspectives." He looked to the veteran as he sat back down. "And from what I heard, all you did was go out to the grocery store."

"How do you know they even like her that way?" Andrew quickly intervened, seeing both Emerald _and_ Ava glaring at the blonde.

_"Em, I am **so** sorry about Pop,"_ Ava whispered, feeling absolutely mortified as her parents continued to talk.

_"No, I get it,"_ she whispered back, a resigned look on her face. _"You're his entire world, outside of your Dad, so he has a lot of free time on his hands. He spends that time concocting stories and scenarios in his head."_ She sighed. _"I mean, yeah, it's insulting, but... I know he doesn't really mean it."_

_"But you shouldn't have to, especially when - "_ Ava was cut off as the server approached with their food, delivering a burger, taco, pancakes, and an omelet to the table.

Devon glanced over at his daughter once everyone had their food. "Well, I guess we never really talked about that, huh?"

"About what?" Ava asked, taking a sip of her water.

"Relationships and love?"

In shock, Ava accidentally spit her drink out... right into Andrew's face. He raised his hand to get the server's attention. "Uh, sir? May I get a napkin?"

"I _*cough*_ don't wanna talk about that kind of stuff!" Ava coughed, blushing furiously.

"Ava, come on. You're a grown woman, and I've tried to have the birds and the bees talk with you so many times - "

The smaller woman covered her ears with her hands, chanting "Lalalalala, I can't hear you!" to drown him out.

Andrew nodded in thanks to the server who'd brought him the napkin. "Pumpkin... I think it's a valid talk we should have." He carefully wiped the water droplets from his face. "As your parents, we want to make sure you're well-educated to make good decisions for yourself to - "

"Heh-heh, I can't hear you," she called in a soft sing-song voice, blushing lightly. Emerald shot him an apologetic look, shaking her head as she took another bite of her omelet.

"Ava, I know you're listening. I'm not dumb. You're as nosy as your father here."

Devon looked insulted. "Hey!"

Ava groaned in annoyance as she finally brought her hands down. "Even if I _am_ listening, is it appropriate to bring up 'pootie' talk here?"

"Ava, you're not a child anymore." The silver-haired man met her gaze seriously. "Someday, your prince or princess will come into your life and you'll enter a relationship."

She waved him off dismissively. "Please... I don't even know what you're talking about."

"Ava, we've seen your browser history before, you can't hide what you know from us." Devon smiled mischievously.

At Devon's words, both Ava and Emerald started, staring at him in open horror. "Wh-what?! How?!" the former exclaimed, while the latter seemed about to jump out of the booth in anger. _'If that asshole put some kind of spyware on our computers, I might actually have to sue him for breach of privacy,'_ the veteran thought to herself. _'I could get **fired** over that shit!'_

He plowed on, oblivious to the looks he was receiving. "Well, when you were under our roof and using _our_ computer, you were pretty dumb about not deleting your browser history."

"We know you watched _anime,"_ Andrew continued, spitting the last word out in disgust.

Emerald leaned back in relief, letting out a breathy chuckle as Ava practically choked in embarrassment.

Devon nodded. "And Netflix, too. The Romance genre was just all over your history!"

"Why is my love life so important all of a sudden?! I just wanna be friends!"

"Yes, but you lied to us and pretended you had a boyfriend. And Noi is obviously interested."

"Ava, as your parents, we just want you to make wise decisions. And, uh... I guess we just don't want you to be lonely when you get older." Andrew gave both women a meaningful look. "I know you have Emerald staying with you right now, but she has her own life to live, too. One day, either one of you or... maybe even _both_ of you, will find someone you really care about, who makes you happy in ways you never even considered."

Devon nodded, looking a bit sheepish. "He's right. I know I worry too much a lot of the time, but I think both of you are just doing your best. Even if it's just the two of you staying together for a while, it's nice to know you both have someone you can rely on and trust. It reassures us that you're happy."

"He's lying," Andrew cut in, looking directly at his daughter. "He wants you to get married."

"Darn it, I'm _serious!"_ He calmed down quickly. "As wonderful as it would be to see you walk down the aisle, I just... I just want you to be happy."

Ava smiled at her parents. "Thanks."

"Also, I'm sure _one_ of those guys are your type based on the movies you like."

"Pop!" She blushed, instantly embarrassed again.

"Now now, Devon," Andrew warned, fixing him with a look. "Don't go prodding."

"I can't help it! Besides, it wouldn't hurt to at least _think_ about what it would be like to be with someone." He suddenly focused his attention on Emerald. "Weren't you in a pretty serious relationship for a while when you were in the Air Force? I thought I remembered your parents telling us you were engaged, too... "

"Oh, uh... yeah." Subconsciously, the veteran reached down and began playing with the rings on her necklace. "There... _was_ going to be someone, but, well... " She looked down at the tabletop. "It... didn't work out."

Ava stared at her in shock: she never knew that about her roommate. It seemed as good a time as any to start asking for relationship advice. "How do I know if I want to be in a relationship with someone?"

Emerald startled, letting go of the rings as she turned to the smaller woman. "Hmm? Oh, ah, well - "

"Simple!" Devon cut in. "Just try to imagine what it would be like if they watched your favorite movie scene with you for the hundredth time. Then, if you think they could do that, then it might be worth a shot."

"That's... not a good way to go about that at all." The veteran gave him a skeptical look.

"I mean, for me it is." His eyes sparkled as he looked at his spouse. "Besides, smoochies are _best_ during movies!"

"You know, we've been so focused on Ava choosing one of those boys, we never even considered if maybe Emerald was interested in one of them as well." Andrew met the taller woman's gaze. "So... _have_ any of them caught your eye?"

"I mean, one or two of them, maybe... " The omelet in front of her suddenly seemed to be the most interesting thing in the world.

"It better not be Noi!" Devon shouted, earning embarrassed looks from everyone else at the table.

"No, not him." She gave a small grin. "He's adorable, but he's not really my type."

"Do you think he's Ava's type?!"

"Um, that's not really up to me to decide, you know?" Emerald cocked one eyebrow at the blonde.

"Hey, uh, let's eat, shall we?!" Andrew tried desperately to bring the conversation to a close before it became any more awkward.

"Yes, let's!" Both men began chowing down on their food.

_"Nice save,"_ Ava whispered, lightly nudging the veteran in the ribs and grinning.

_"Thanks,"_ she answered, nudging the smaller woman back. _"You know they're not going to let this go, right?"_ She shrugged, grinning as she focused back on her omelet. _"Might as well at least think about it, yeah?"_

Ava rolled her eyes, but paused as she stared at her stack of pancakes. _'You know, I wonder what it would be like to be with one of them... '_ She stole a glance at Emerald from the corner of her eye. _'And what was that Pop said about Em being engaged once?'_

* * *

"So... you used to be engaged?"

Emerald paused just as she was about to pull on her helmet, looking back at Ava. They had managed to get through the meal successfully, and were now by the motorcycle getting the safety gear back on. "Well, I guess the cat's out of the bag now," she muttered, turning to face the shorter woman directly. "What all do you want to know?"

"Um, I guess... whatever you're comfortable with?" She played with her fingernail. "I know you like your privacy, and I know my parents can get a little pushy sometimes, and I know you don't like to talk too much about stuff that happened when you were in the Air Force, and - "

"Ava, take a breath." The veteran put a hand on each of Ava's shoulders. She paused for a moment, as if lost in thought, before offering up a tiny grin. "Do you want to hear about how we met?"

She nodded, her eyes almost sparkling as much as Devon's did at the prospect of hearing about something relationship-related.

"I'll give you the quick version for now." Emerald smiled as she thought back. "We met at the base bowling alley." She gave a warning look. "Don't laugh: we were all under 21 and were stationed in an area where the only real entertainment was casinos or bars."

Ava suppressed a giggle, but encouraged her to continue.

"He shared some mutual friends with my group, so they'd invited him along since it was almost his birthday. He ended up chatting with me while we played our games for the evening, one of his friends even nudging me and confiding 'hey, you know he likes you, right?'." She gave another wistful grin. "At the end of the night when I was about to go home, he ran after me and asked for my phone number. I gave it to him because no one had ever asked me for my number before and I thought 'what are the odds he'll ever actually call me?'" A bigger grin, as she met Ava's eyes. "Guess who called the very next day?"

"Aww! That's _adorable!"_ The smaller woman was practically vibrating.

"But, here's the important thing I want you to know: I _chose_ to give him my number. I just as easily could have said no and moved on with my life." Emerald gave her a serious look. "And it's the same with you. Just because the Daemos are interested in you doesn't mean you _have_ to choose one of them. But... if it's something you think you'd like to pursue, then feel free to ask me for any advice if you want. I'll do my best to help you out."

Ava nodded. "I promise I'll think about it."

"Sounds good." Emerald tapped her on the shoulder. "Now let's get going. After yesterday's fiasco, I'd prefer not to leave them unsupervised for too long."

* * *

Once they had arrived back at the apartment, Emerald parked her motorcycle in the assigned spot and walked back to the elevator with Ava. Both women were lost in their own thoughts on the ride up, but it was a comfortable silence.

As they exited to their floor, Ava let out a small chuckle.

"What's on your mind?"

"Oh, just thinking about me actually being in a relationship." The shorter woman laughed again. "It's pretty ridiculous, right?"

"It doesn't have to be." Emerald unlocked the apartment door, going in ahead of her. "Besides, you don't have to go straight in and declare yourselves an exclusive couple right off the bat. Why not spend some time with them one-on-one, if you can? It'll give you a chance to see who they are as an individual." She gave her a smile. "If nothing else, it might be fun. Plus, I don't think there's any law saying you can't be friends with them."

"Is there, though?" Ava followed, closing the door behind her. "There might be some weird Daemos law about this 'courting' thing they keep going on about."

The veteran laughed. "Well, we're not on Daemos. So even if there is, I'm pretty sure you're in the clear." Both women went to the laundry room, not noticing the front door still slightly ajar.

Once the motorcycle gear was hung up properly, they went towards the kitchen. Both were surprised to see Rhys at the stove stirring a large pot. Mrs. Oates's recipe book was propped open on the island behind him. "Y-you're cooking?" Emerald questioned him, slightly concerned he was doing it without any supervision.

"Oh! Princess Ava and Dame Emerald! Yes, I am coo-king." He made eye contact with Emerald. "I had a conversation with Mrs. Oates about the nature of food here on Ee-urth, after I read one of your books about the subject." He suddenly got a worried look on his face, as if remembering something. "Aaand... I just wanted to study coo-king more." He let out a nervous chuckle.

"Wow." Ava looked impressed at the gesture. "Rhys, that's awesome!"

"I agree." Emerald gave him a small smile. "If you want, I can give you another lesson tonight while I'm making dinner."

"Thank you." He turned back to the stove, a self-satisfied smirk on his face. _'Yes! It's working! Both of them seem thoroughly impressed. Once I impress Ava enough, perhaps I will become king of Ee-urth.'_

"A relationship with Rhys... " the shorter woman murmured under her breath.

"What're your thoughts?"

"I mean, Rhys is super cool and hot. Now that he's cooking, that makes him almost irresistible!" She blushed at the thought. "But, how would _that_ be... ?"

Emerald caught the look on her face. "You thinking about what your Pop said?"

"Yeah... I think he'd just keep asking questions, wondering whether or not I was bored of it and going to pick a _new_ favorite part. That could get annoying after a while."

The veteran opened her mouth to respond, but was cut off as the call of "Prisoners!" came from their left. She glared at Asch as he approached them, moving herself to stand slightly in front of Ava.

The Daemos prince stopped short, uncharacteristically flustered all of a sudden. He looked around her to meet Ava's gaze. "Y-y-you look cute today," he rushed out quietly.

Ava instantly blushed deeply, completely thrown off. "Huh?!"

Before Emerald could say anything, he locked eyes with her. "You... are a faithful guardian to your mistress and perform your duties adequately."

She let out a short chuckle at the awkwardness of the entire situation. _'Maybe he has a sweet side after all - '_

"B-bu-but don't think anything of it!" Asch snarled, stalking off to see what Rhys was doing.

_'Aaand there it is,'_ Emerald sighed, watching him retreat. She was surprised to see Ava was still blushing furiously. "Hey, you okay?"

"Y-yeah. Just, wondering what all that was about." Ava turned wistful. "Although, I wonder what a relationship with Asch would be like... "

"Full of threats of fire, destruction, and a lot of insults and yelling," she answered flatly, not looking too impressed at the idea.

"Yeah, something like that." She felt her own face. "Gah, I'm blushing! I need to go splash my face with water or something."

The two women went into Ava's bathroom, Emerald waiting nearby while the shorter one tried to cool her face off with some water. "You sure it's not your fever coming back up?" the former asked, looking somewhat concerned. "It's only been a day: I don't want you getting sick again."

Ava scoffed. "I could say the same to you." She reached over and grabbed a towel to dry her face. "You were still pretty sick yesterday."

Emerald sighed. "How about we just agree to take it easy for the rest of today?"

Before Ava could respond, Leif phased into view. "Well _hello_ there, Princess," he purred, before glancing over at Emerald. "Oh, and hi to you too, I suppose."

"Gee, thanks for remembering to include me," the veteran shot back, uncrossing her arms as she stood up a bit straighter.

"What are you doing here?! Didn't you knock?!" Ava still wasn't completely used to the former assassin's ability to just appear whenever he wanted.

Ignoring both women, he pulled a heart-shaped box of chocolates from... somewhere. "I just wanted to give you this." He handed it to Ava, before giving Emerald a sly wink. "Maybe if you're good, she'll toss a couple pieces to you too."

Ava stared at the box in confusion. "W-where did you get this from?"

"I... found them." Suddenly, Leif didn't sound so confident.

"Th-thanks... "

"Don't forget this: it was _me_ who gave you that. _Love it!"_ The last words sounded almost like a whispered threat as he phased away.

"W-what's going on?" Ava looked to Emerald in confusion. "Why are they acting so weird?"

"Seems like they're all doubling down on this 'courtship' thing. The only question is: where did they get all these ideas?" The taller woman looked a bit concerned. "I don't remember keeping any of those books out where they could find them... "

"Huh?"

"Nothing." Emerald brushed her off. "So... what do you think it would be like if you were with Leif?"

Ava thought for a moment, her face scrunching up as she began running through the scenario.

"Let me guess: he's yelling about killing and keeps stabbing everything in sight?"

"Yeah." The smaller woman sighed in defeat. "How would he even get _out_ of that habit?"

Emerald laughed. "Well, in any case, I wouldn't be too eager to eat that candy he gave you. For all we know, he found it out by the trash, and I have to strongly advise against eating 'dumpster chocolate'."

Ava returned the laugh. "I can always take a few pieces out at a time and throw them away under some papers or something. That way we won't have to worry about insulting him."

"Smart idea." Emerald opened the door to the bathroom, surprised to see Noi waiting there for them with two potted plants in his arms.

"Um... these are for you, Ava." The small Daemos nervously held out the container of yellow flowers, blushing furiously as he giggled nervously.

"Aww, Noi," she smiled, taking the proffered plant. "Thank you so much."

"A-and this one is for you, Emerald." Noi stuttered a little, but carefully held out a miniature black tree rose.

The veteran took it gently, giving him a friendly grin. "Thank you, Noi. It's beautiful." She gave the plant a sniff, smiling at the soft scent.

"You... you both... like them?"

"Yeah, I do." Ava was still fawning over her plant.

Emerald leveled a questioning look at him. "How did you know we like these kinds of flowers?"

Another nervous laugh. "Ah, I just did. See you around." Noi made a hasty retreat, the blush still bright on his cheeks.

"Wait... seriously, what's going on?" Ava looked at her roommate in concern. "They're all acting strange."

"I told you: it seems they've all decided it's time to get serious about courting you." Her eyebrows furrowed in thought. "And I think they're trying to bribe me as well so I'll influence your decision... or something."

"Wait... what about Noi?"

"He's... sweet. But he also reminds me a bit of an over-eager puppy." Emerald cocked one eyebrow. "He'd probably throw himself out a window just to make you happy which, while cute in a macabre way, can quickly get kind of annoying."

"He's so eager to please. I mean... maybe...?"

"You know, you don't _have_ to choose any of them. I told you that before." Emerald gave her a gentle nudge towards the door. "Let's put these flowers somewhere safe, then maybe we can discuss it properly."

* * *

Almost all of the Daemos had assembled in the kitchen for an impromptu meeting... with the notable exception of Pierce. He was still sitting on the couch, seemingly oblivious to the chaos going on behind him.

"Stop trying to steal her from me," Asch threatened, staring down his assembled knights.

Leif stared at them. "I thought that we agreed that it didn't matter who she married, as long as we get the magic. Right?!"

"You two need to stop," Rhys cut in calmly.

"Thank you!" The Daemos prince nodded to his advisor.

"It's obvious she is most impressed with me."

"You cheated!" Noi shouted, glaring at everyone.

"Did not!"

"You're just learning how to cook to impress Emerald so she'll tell Ava what a good mate you would be!"

"Oh, and you aren't!" Asch sneered at the small Daemos. "I saw that extra flower you had."

"And it just _killed_ you to give her a compliment, didn't it!" Leif shot back, setting off a wave of shouting between all four Daemos.

* * *

Ava and Emerald opened the door onto chaos.

Four of the Daemos were standing in the kitchen, arguing loudly. Every now and then, a phrase would ring out above the others declaring things like "I want to kill her, so clearly _I_ should be the one to marry her!" and "Why do you think you have a right to Ava's power?!".

The two women exchanged glances. "O-kaaay..." Ava muttered, steering clear of the fighting and placing her flowers on the dining room table.

Emerald followed suit, scootching both pots closer to the center. _'I'll give them some water and find a better spot later,'_ she thought, admiring the plants a little longer before she went into the living room. She was surprised to find the Daemos cat sulking under the desk, glaring at the couch.

Following the spirit's line of sight, she saw Johnny Cat getting the pet of a lifetime from Pierce, who seemed oblivious to the argument going on behind him. The veteran gave it a commiserating glance before going to sit in the armchair.

Ava approached Pierce, glancing at the fight as well. "Any idea what they're arguing about?"

The Daemos general paused in his petting. "No."

The shorter woman sighed, sitting down on the couch and leaning against him. He looked at her, then slowly began to rub her back.

"Huh?"

"You seem to enjoy it when I do this," he answered simply, resuming the back rubs.

Ava blushed, laughing quietly. "Thank you."

Emerald watched the exchange, an odd tightness in her chest. _'Guess this is what Cloud Kitty felt like watching Johnny Cat get all the attention,'_ she thought, looking over at the Daemos Spirit before returning her attention to Ava. The woman was lost in thought, probably trying to imagine what it would be like to be with Pierce.

"Hey!" Asch's voice cut through. "What are you doing?!"

Emerald and Ava both startled, all the other Daemos suddenly standing in front of the fireplace glaring daggers at the tallest one.

"Comforting Princess Ava," Pierce answered calmly, although he did stop rubbing her back.

Noi looked absolutely offended. "Hey, that's my job!"

"Did you ask her for permission?!" Even Rhys seemed to be losing his cool.

Ava shot up, glaring at them all. "All right, that's it! Why are you guys acting so _weird?!"_

Emerald stood next to her, noticing how all the Daemos suddenly blushed darkly. _"Told you,"_ she whispered. _"If I had to guess, they probably - "_

"Oh, Ava! Emmy!" Mrs. Oates shuffled into view near the hallway. "I see you two have your hands full."

"W-what are you doing here, Mrs. Oates?!" The veteran actually look... afraid.

"You left the door open, so I was worried. Is everything all right?"

Emerald laughed nervously. "Oh! Y-yeah, everything is fine!" She put one hand on her chest and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath.

"Ah, I'm sorry Emmy." The senior citizen looked apologetic. "I forgot you don't like to be startled, especially after you've been ill."

"It's... it's okay." She opened her eyes, giving a shaky smile. "Sorry for worrying you. I'll put in a work order to get it fixed right away."

"Oh, good." Mrs. Oates gave a happy giggle, winking while she blushed. "You know, these boys all have a crush on you two. They all came to me for advice on how to woo you."

"You weren't supposed to tell them!" Rhys shouted in embarrassed panic, all five Daemos blushing even more.

"Oh, I'm just speeding up the process!" she laughed, giving another wink as she turned towards the front door. "Toodles!"

Almost before Mrs. Oates had even had a chance to leave, Asch turned to Ava. "Marry me, Prisoner!"

"Marry?!" The shorter woman was stunned at how quickly everything was escalating.

Leif glared at the Daemos prince. "No way, me!"

"I'll fight you guys for her!" Noi declared confidently, glaring as well.

"I... I can't... " She turned to Emerald, looking for a way out. "This is a dream, right?"

"If this is a dream, then what the hell are you doing dragging _me_ into it?"

Rhys seemed almost ready to lose his temper again. _"I'm_ taking the throne of Ee-urth!"

"Aaand I'm... done," Ava breathed out, reeling back as she fainted. Emerald caught her easily, making sure the smaller woman didn't hit her head on anything. The Daemos all began to run over in panic, but she held up one hand to hold them off.

"Oh no, you don't," she warned, adjusting her grip on Ava. "You guys have all done enough for one day. I'm going to get her settled in her bed, then I'm going to come back out here. When I do, I better not see any of you hanging around: you all better be back through your little 'portal' thingy."

"D-Dame Emerald," Rhys stuttered, taking a step forward. "Please, allow us to assist - "

"Nope." The veteran pointed towards the crayon outline on the wall. "We can talk more about this tonight, but you all need to go. _Now."_

She could almost see the steam shooting from Asch's ears as he opened his mouth to argue, but Rhys was quicker. He stepped close to the Daemos prince, whispering furiously under his breath. Emerald caught a few phrases _"can't risk it"_ and _"**need** her to trust us"_, among the mutterings.

Defeated, all five Daemos did the Walk of Shame through the portal. Once she was sure they wouldn't try to sneak back out, Emerald carefully maneuvered her way to Ava's room and set the smaller woman on her bed. After she was covered with the blanket, the veteran exited the room, carefully closing the door behind her.

After a quick glance at the portal, Emerald sighed and pulled out her phone. She slowly dialed the number for Maintenance. It wasn't often she had to talk to people on the phone, but she always felt nervous whenever the opportunity arose. If it was possible, she much preferred just to text or email someone instead of having to talk directly. Even leaving a voice message was enough to make her anxious...

... but this was important.

_"Apricot Vale Apartments, this is Jake speaking."_

"Hey, Jake? It's Emerald."

_"Oh, uh, hello. What can I do for you?"_

"The lock on our front door seems to be broken, so the door isn't closing completely. I was wondering if I could submit a maintenance ticket for it to be repaired."

_"Of course! Um, let me see..."_ She heard him rustling some papers around. _"That actually qualifies as an Emergency, so if it's okay with you, I can come up right now and take care of it."_

"That would be perfect, thank you."

_"Okay. I'll see you in about five minutes. Just give me a bit to find the tools and stuff."_

"No worries." She paused for a moment. "And... thank you for the quick response. I really appreciate it."

_"Oh, uh, yeah! Yeah, it's no problem at all!"_ Jake sounded pleasantly surprised at her words. _"See you in a bit."_

"See you." Emerald hung up the phone, letting out a deep breath. _'Well, that went pretty well,'_ she thought, relieved it was over. While she walked towards the front door to wait for him, she checked her email again.

The veteran was surprised to see one from her work. _'Are they sending the documents early? I mean, it's happened before, but usually around a holiday or something like that - '_

Emerald cut her own thoughts off as she read it, eyes slowly going wide.


	17. Chapter 16 - Unexpected Training Date

_This is a work of fanfiction. All characters (except Emerald) belong to Aphmau / Jessica Bravura._

_Cover Art belongs to Aphmau / Jessica Bravura._

_Please don't sue me._

* * *

Emerald _hurt_.

The veteran tried not to groan out loud as she limped her way back to the apartment. She had gone for her run that morning, as she usually did... except it had been a week since the last one and she hadn't bothered to slow down. As a result, her legs felt like they were about to pop off.

_'Better not let Mrs. Oates see me like this,'_ Emerald thought. _'Knowing her, she'll think it's from having "sexy fun times" with the Daemos.'_ She took a moment to fish the apartment key out of her running bag.

She had barely begun to turn the doorknob when Leif suddenly appeared next to her. "About time you got back," he purred softly, leaning in close.

"What the _hell?!"_ The veteran threw herself back, her legs giving out under her as she tried to get some space between her and the former assassin. She started falling towards the floor when she felt someone grab her, lifting her up into the air. "Wh-what?"

Leif gave her his signature toothy grin. "Looks like you're falling for me after all," he chuckled. The white-haired Daemos carried her in, nudging the door shut behind him.

"Ugh, you wish." Emerald rolled her eyes, wincing slightly as she gave her calves an experimental flex. "Ow."

He cocked his head to one side. "You overdo it on that stupid 'run' thing you do?"

She nodded. "Serves me right for jumping right back to it instead of easing in."

Leif furrowed his eyebrows, before turning and walking through the Daemos portal.

"Whoa, where are you taking me?" Emerald glanced around in worry. This was the first time she'd been brought through the portal against her will. The realization it was _Leif_ who was carrying her was even more concerning.

"To the sp- hot tub." He cleared his throat. "It seems to help you relax. Might help with your legs."

"Oh no, I am _not_ getting anywhere near that thing again." She started trying to wiggle her way free. "Not after what happened last time."

"Would you just hold still?!" Leif squeezed her tighter to him as he continued walking, surprised she was actually starting to get free. "You're gonna get us _both_ in trouble!"

_That_ actually got her attention. "Why the hell would _I_ be in trouble? For trespassing? Even though _you're_ the one who brought me in here?"

He shrugged. "Unless you want to find out, I suggest you keep quiet." He took the opportunity to readjust his grip, passing through the door into the Spell Pool Room.

Emerald stared at the water with apprehension. "I'll sit on the side and put my legs in, but there's no way you're making me sit in there."

Leif seemed to consider her words, grinning after a few moments. "Works for me." He knelt down and carefully placed her on the floor before he removed her shoes and socks. Once they were off, he gently guided both legs into the water.

The veteran sighed, closing her eyes as the water hit her sore muscles. The relief only lasted a moment though, as she remembered who exactly it was sitting with her. She snapped her eyes back open, trying not to let the relief show on her face when she saw he was still reclining lazily next to her.

The former assassin must have still sensed it, because he gave her another wicked grin. "Worried I'm gonna kill ya'?"

"Not really." Emerald waved him off with a confidence she did not feel. "I know Ava's the one you're really after. Besides, if you kill me too soon, the rest of the Daemos are going to be _pissed."_ She returned his grin. "Especially Asch."

He groaned. "Why'd you have to bring _him_ up?" Instead of waiting for her to answer, Leif reached down and pulled her left leg out of the water, resting the heel on his thigh. Before she could voice any objections, he deftly began massaging her calf.

Any objections died in her throat. Despite how on edge he made her feel, Emerald couldn't deny Leif was definitely skilled with his hands. She found her voice after a few seconds. "Are... are you using magic? Cause I thought Rhys said - "

"Well, Rhys isn't here right now." He glared at her, his hands pausing before continuing. "And no, I don't need magic to do this." She saw him physically puff up with pride. "I learned how to do this on my own."

"Really? You mean Daemos _don't_ use magic for literally every little thing in their lives?" She gave him a small grin, hoping the sarcasm translated across species.

Luckily, he seemed to pick up on what she was trying to do. "I'm probably the most self-sufficient one in our group. All the others grew up soft because they've always lived in the kingdom, had everything handed to them."

"Really?" Her attention on him was no longer just a facade to keep him talking: he was giving her legitimate information about where they were from. It was more than she'd been able to extract from Pierce or Rhys, or even Noi (although certainly not from a lack of effort on her part).

Unfortunately, something in her bearing must have given her away, because Leif clammed up immediately. "Let's just say I learned how to do this because I couldn't always count on someone else to be there to help me out." He lowered her leg back into the water, before bringing the other one up and repeating his earlier ministrations.

Emerald leaned back against the wall, allowing her eyes to close again. A not-small part of her mind warned her this was a bad idea that would most likely end up with her throat being slit, but she told it to shut up. It'd been far too long since she'd gotten a proper athletic massage, and Leif actually seemed to know what he was doing.

She must have dozed off, because the next thing she knew the former assassin was poking her in the side.

"Hey, you alive?"

The veteran's eyes shot open as she startled, before settling down as she remembered where she was. She rubbed them briefly. "Yeah, yeah." She arched her back as she stretched her arms over her head. Experimentally, she flexed her legs, pleased to find they were no longer cramping up. "Oh _man,_ that feels infinitely better." She gave him a small, genuine smile. "Thanks. For real."

"Oh, uh." Leif seemed uncharacteristically flustered, refusing to make eye contact. "Well, if you're feeling better, then you should go. I don't think Rhys has sensed you in here yet."

Emerald nodded, grabbing her shoes and socks as she stood. "Tell you what: give me some time to shower, and then bring everybody out. I'll make you guys something brand new for breakfast." Without waiting for him to respond, she turned and exited the room.

He watched her go, feeling an odd sense of camaraderie. It was a bit hard to explain, but he felt she might've had a similar upbringing to what he did. Ava and her parents seemed to come from almost a completely different world than the veteran, which meant she always had to prove herself to them.

It was something Leif related to far too much. He shook his head, forcing down the emotions that threatened to break through his carefully crafted mask. Instead, he found himself curious about this new food item she had hinted at.

Neither of them realized Emerald's keys were still hanging in the front door.

* * *

Several hours later, Ava's alarm clock blared to life. She quickly switched it off, rolling back over to stare sleepily at Johnny. "It's too early," she groaned, closing her eyes as she thought back to yesterday and all of the Daemos arguing over who would get to marry her.

"I have to admit... it was kind of nice to have them fight over me. I've never really been the center of attention for... _anything,_ really. But marriage?" She opened her eyes to stare at the cat again. "They weren't... _serious,_ right? I mean, they don't even _know_ me. If anything, they've spent more time with Em than they have with me, but I guess they don't think she's as 'valuable' or whatever."

Ava sighed. "And that's... pretty sucky. I think Saturday was the first time she's let anybody else take care of her. And then I took her to brunch with my parents, and Pop just kept insulting her, and none of the Daemos seem to even remember she exists half the time." Another sigh. "I'm surprised she didn't get sick sooner, with all the work she does trying to keep everything running smoothly around here."

The short woman turned again, facing away from the window. "I can't even take care of myself, much less a flock of horny guys." She heard the cat give a questioning chirrup. "They have _actual_ horns is what I'm referencing Johnny, jeez... But honestly, after yesterday, that definition isn't too far off - "

Ava was interrupted as her phone began vibrating behind her on the bed. She groaned loudly, turning to pick it up. "Ugh, it's probably my dads and - " Her face fell as she read the name. "Oh. It's Lorelai." The short woman rejected the call and dropped it, rolling to face the wall again.

"Good. She shouldn't waste her time with me, especially since Em is - " She cut herself off as the phone buzzed again. "Darn it."

Johnny looked between his mistress and the buzzing phone. He carefully approached, laying his ears back as he nudged the back of her head with his nose.

"Nooooo," she groaned, closing her eyes as she tried to block out the sound.

The cat maneuvered his way back to the phone, laying down on top of it. As he did, his paw _conveniently_ landed on the "Answer" circle, bringing the phone to life.

_"Hello? Ava?"_ Lorelai's voice called out from the device.

Ava's eyes snapped open in surprise. "What the - ?!" She flipped herself back over, glaring when she saw what Johnny had done. "You stupid cat! I - " As he wandered away, she picked up the phone and held it cautiously to her ear. "H-hello?"

"Hey, Ava! Long time no speak!" Lorelai sounded as bubbly as ever.

"Yeah, it's been a while... "

"Well, I mean I've called you a few times since we last talked and you haven't answered. Until now!"

"O-oh right!" Ava laughed nervously. "I've been, uh... busy... I mean, yeah, I've actually been busy for once."

"Oh, it's no worries. I get busy all the time too! _Totally_ know how that goes."

"I mean... yeah, same, I guess."

"Anyway, I was thinking that maybe you and Em wanted to go to a movie with me and a few friends or something? Since today is Em's birthday and all, I'd like to treat you two to something fun."

_'Oh shit, I completely forgot today is her birthday!'_ Out loud, Ava tried to buy herself some time. "Uh, n-no thanks. Like I said, I'm really busy and uh, like you said, you know how that goes, and I think Em has work today, and you know how she gets when she has to work, so... I'll just be hanging up the phone now, and - "

"See, here's the thing."

Ava suddenly got a sinking feeling in her stomach. "Huh?"

"I kinda figured you'd say no, so this time, I tried something _different."_

The sinking feeling intensified. "What did you try?"

"I'm actually outside of your apartment building, right now, as we speak!"

"Y-you _what?!"_ Ava was so surprised, she accidentally flung herself off her own bed in shock.

Lorelai plowed ahead, seemingly oblivious to the chaos on the other end of the phone. "Yep! I'm right outside your building, and I'm ready to go!"

"Lorelai! It's 11 a.m. in the morning, it's too early!"

"Uh, no? That's actually pretty late."

"I mean too early to go to a movie!"

"They normally do discounts for early showings and since you don't have a job, I kinda figured - "

Ava sighed in disgusted frustration. "Don't remind me."

"So come on girl, let's go!"

"I'm not going, Lorelai."

"What?! Come on! The last time we hung out was during high school, and you remember how much fun that was."

"The last time I went to a movie with you and your friends, it was uncomfortable."

"I _promise_ the movie theater has been upgraded and the seats are _phenomenal_ now."

"That's not the kind of uncomfortable I was talking about, ju - " Ava cut herself off in annoyance. "Look, I'm not going, and that's final. Besides, Em has work today and you know there's no way she'd _ever_ skip out on her job. She's too responsible for that."

"Ava, I've been reading a self-help book about being assertive."

"Assertive or annoying?"

"The book taught me to have a backbone, and as your friend - "

"Who said we were friends?!"

" - I'm going to be assertive now and say you're _both_ coming to the theater!"

Ava let out a small, mocking laugh. "Nice try, Lorelai, but you forgot one thing: I'm in my building. In my room. And you _can't get in!_ So, I'm glad you finally developed a backbone, I _really_ am! You deserve it! But... you can't get into my building. Or my apartment. I win. Bye-bye."

"Ava!" Just as Lorelai yelled the name into her phone, the blonde-haired man walking in front of her stopped abruptly.

"You know Ava?"

"Me?" The brunette gave him a briefly confused expression, before a devilish grin took over her face. "Yes! Yes I do! I'm her _best friend."_

"Lorelai!" Ava had just been about to hang up the phone when she heard Jake's voice on the other end of the phone, followed by Lorelai's declaration. "I swear to _God,_ if you - "

"Don't worry, Ava." It was a bit disturbing how calm she sounded. "You don't have to come out of the shower. I'll be there soon. Bye!"

Before Ava could get out another word, the phone disconnected. "N-no... she wouldn't... " She leapt over her bed in two bounds, almost bouncing her forehead off the window as she peered down to the sidewalk below. "There is _no_ way he will let her in, especially after how Em spoke to him the last time he was here - "

To her horror, she saw them _both_ headed towards the building entrance. "Oh my God!" Ava sprinted towards the door...

... only to trip over a pile of dirty clothes she'd left on the floor. She immediately shot back up, determined not to lose any time. If she wasn't able to stop Lorelai, she at least needed to warn Em that someone was on their way up.

As she burst through the door, Ava was more than a little worried to see all five Daemos were in the kitchen. Not only that, but they were all already changed into their "human" clothing. "You guys need to get out of here _now,_ and - "

Any further words died in her throat as she took in the scene before her.

The Daemos and Em were all in the kitchen, which looked like a bomb had gone off in it. There were puddles of milk and egg guts threatening to spill over the counter, while little clouds of flour seemed to puff up every time one of them moved. A large stack of... _something_ was teetering precariously on a plate, leaning noticeably to one side.

Em was at the stove, Noi and Rhys on either side of her. Pierce and Leif were also leaning in close, staring intently at what she was doing. Even Asch was peeking over to watch, although he was trying to hide it.

The veteran carefully flicked her wrist, flipping what Ava could now see was a pancake deftly onto the nearby plate. The Daemos seemed entranced by the performance, their eyes going wide.

"I still cannot believe such a thing is possible without magic!" Rhys exclaimed, staring at her in awe.

"It's really not that hard: just takes practice. I'm sure if you guys kept trying you'd eventually get - Ava!" Em gave her a friendly smile, which quickly faded as she took in the expression on the shorter woman's face. "Is something wrong?"

Before she could answer, Asch turned and immediately began asserting himself. "Prisoner!"

"What?!" Ava was definitely not in the mood to take the Daemos prince's attitude.

"Don't speak to me in such a tone!" Everyone could _feel_ the haughtiness practically dripping off him. "_I'm_ a prince."

"Prince of _what?!_ Getting angry at nothing?!" she shot back, earning muffled laughter from both Em and Rhys.

"I-I-I'm the prince of _Daemos!"_ For once, Asch seemed stunned. "Are you dense?!"

"It's an expression, I - ugh!" Ava trailed off in frustration. "What do you want? I'm in a bit of trouble here!"

_That_ got everyone's attention.

"Trou-ble?" Asch seemed confused by the term.

Leif immediately jumped in. "No one lays a hand on Ava until I'm done with her!"

"Excuse me, she's my _bride!"_

"Uh, no! She's not!" Noi sounded positively offended by the prince's declaration.

Pierce nodded. "Yes."

"What?!"

"I was agreeing with you."

"Oh!"

Rhys turned to face the short woman calmly. "What is the trouble, Princess Ava?"

"Yeah, what's up?" Em quickly turned off the stove and moved to her roommate's side. "Your parents bugging you again already about these guys?"

"No, it's so much worse than that! Lorelai is coming up to the apartment, so I need you guys to leave!"

"You don't tell me what to do!" Asch sneered, taking a step forward. "I - "

"Just get out of here. I - "

"I'm not leaving until you marry me!"

"No! Me!" Leif glared, daring anyone to challenge him. "_I_ will be the King of Ee-urth and command the Nine-Hundred and Eleven Warriors!"

Ava seemed ready to explode. "Look, I don't have _time_ for your demon puberty!"

Rhys furrowed his brows in confusion. "Demon... poo-beh-tee?"

"I need you guys to get out of here. Lorelai is here to ruin my life! Moreso than you guys!"

"But we still need to discuss who you're going to marry," Pierce interrupted calmly, albeit with some concern.

Em looked between everyone before cutting in with an exasperated sigh. "Look, if you want to marry her you will have to date her to even _qualify."_

"Now get out _now!_ I need to make sure the door is locked before - " Ava was cut off suddenly as Asch stepped forward and bodily lifted her into the air.

"Give me the date!" he declared as he began to shake her.

"Ergh, stop shaking me! Just because you're super buff doesn't mean you can shake me like a maraca!"

"Get your hands off her right now!" Em reached over and tore Ava out of his grasp, holding her close so she wouldn't fall.

Noi was glaring at Asch. "How _dare_ you!" He raced over and picked up both women, tossing one over each shoulder and running back towards the portal.

"I swear to _God,_ just leave me alo - " Ava was cut off as Pierce easily plucked them from the smallest Daemos, holding one in each hand over his head as he made his way towards Em's room.

"Oh, no you don't!" Leif shouted, overtaking the other Daemos chasing after the general and tossing the women over his own shoulders. He made a beeline back towards the portal, the others close behind.

"Unhand the princess and her guardian at once!" Rhys called out, tucking Em and Ava under each arm and racing towards the kitchen.

"Put us down!" The veteran had to shout to be heard over all the noise.

_'Well, at least it can't get much worse than this,'_ Ava thought glumly to herself.

* * *

Outside in the hallway, the elevator gave a cheerful _*ping*_ as the doors opened. Both Jake and Lorelai stepped out, pausing in front to continue their conversation. "Really?" the former asked, surprise in his voice. "You've known Ava since high school?"

"Yep, been hanging out since then. I haven't spent too much time with Em, but Ava once told me they used to hang out when they were younger because their parents worked together."

The blonde chuckled somewhat nervously. "C-cool." The brunette woman suddenly got a sly grin on her face as she studied him, which made Jake even more nervous. "Uh... what?"

"You totally like Ava, don't you?"

"No! W-w-what?!" He was sweating profusely. "W-what makes you say that?!"

"You've just been asking me questions about her since we got in the elevator, which is stuuuuupidly slow, by the way. You should _really_ get management to fix it. Kind of a lazy move of them not to."

Jake's face fell. "I _am_ management."

"Oh." Lorelai shrugged off her mistake quickly, plowing on ahead like nothing had happened. "Anyway, as I was saying: I have a knack for telling when people are into someone. You _totally_ want to smooch Ava, don't you?"

"You just met me!" He seemed offended, even as his cheeks blushed brightly. "How can you ask me questions like that?"

"Uh, by talking. Duh!"

"That's... not what I meant."

"Hmm... " Lorelai hummed to herself, staring off into the distance over his shoulder. "Actually, maybe a boyfriend _will_ get the stick out of Ava's - "

"S-shouldn't you go and check on Ava?!" Jake interrupted desperately, no doubt imagining several inappropriate things brought about by her words.

"Oh, right." She peeked around him. "Down this way, right? I get confused here."

"Yeah, that way."

"Thanks! Toodles!"

_"What a strangely friendly girl,"_ Jake muttered to himself as she passed him. _"A little too friendly... "_ He shrugged, stepping forward to the elevator and pushing the call button to go back down.

Lorelai was just about to knock on the door when she noticed keys in the lock. "Hmm? Why are these here?" She gave the knob an experimental turn, surprised when it opened right up. "It's open?" The brunette threw both doors open wide enthusiastically. "Ready or not, here I come!" She walked through, humming a little tune. _'Maybe I should try to hook both of them up,'_ she thought happily. _'It definitely wouldn't hurt either of them to get out there and meet someone new.'_

* * *

Emerald was getting a headache.

The Daemos had her and Ava surrounded by the kitchen counter, all of them shouting to be heard over the others and trying to present their case as to why they would be the best choice as Ava's suitor. As before, random phrases rose up clearer than others, such as Leif's _"I am the one who deserves to inherit the power!"_, Rhys's _"You don't get to tell me what to do!"_, and Asch's _"She likes my voice!"_ Most surprising was when Pierce's voice broke though with _"Let Princess Ava decide."_

Ava simply stood there amongst the noise, eyes closed. While the veteran sympathized with her a bit, she was also getting frustrated. _'It's not like **I** can do anything to stop this,'_ she thought in frustration. _'They only listen to "Princess" Ava. Unless she takes control, this is never going to end... '_

"Alright, that's enough!" Emerald had to shout to get them to hear her. "You guys need to get your shit sorted out!"

"That's right!" Ava _finally_ decided to contribute something to control the chaos. "Right now, I need to stop Lorelai from - "

"I... see this is a bad time?" The woman's voice in question caused all of them to turn towards the hallway. Lorelai stood there, a blush visible on her cheeks as she surveyed the scene.

"Are you **fucking _kidding_** me?!" Emerald was livid. "What was the point of having Jake fix the goddamn door if everybody and their mother can just waltz straight in as they please?!"

Ava tentatively reached out and placed one hand on the veteran's arm. _"Em, it's okay,"_ she whispered, trying to regain control of the situation. The shorter woman turned to face the newcomer. "How... did you get inside?"

"Some keys were hanging in the lock, and the door was unlocked." Lorelai looked between the two women. "So I let myself in!"

"That's called breaking and entering." Ava glanced at Emerald, who was still shaking in anger.

"Why. Are. You. Here?" The veteran was dangerously quiet.

"Oh, right!" The brunette smiled, seemingly oblivious to the mood of the room. "I heard it was your birthday today."

"Birth... day?" Rhys murmured in confusion.

_"I'll explain it later,"_ Emerald whispered tiredly. Even though she was kicking herself for forgetting about the keys in the door, she was feeling a bit worn out from the sudden surge of anger.

Noi took the opportunity to break the silence, his eyes widening in recognition. "Hey, I remember this human!"

"Oh hey, it's you guys!" Lorelai took the opportunity to study each Daemos more closely. "I didn't realize you guys liked to wear your cosplay horns so much!" A wicked grin spread over her face. "Or was it for something else?"

Ava blushed brightly, probably worrying about the woman spreading rumors about them. "Uh, n-n-no! They were just... trying them on!" She let out a sound somewhere between a laugh and a sob.

"Okay, well, let's get going to the movies! Em, since it's your birthday, I'm going to treat you and Ava to a fun time out." She paused, her expression dropping. "Unless, you have work? Ava said you have work today... "

"Y-yeah! That's right!" Ava breathed a sigh of relief at the out. "I mean, it's Monday, beginning of the week, you know how busy Mondays are, and - "

"I'm free today."

_"What?!"_ The shorter woman stared at her in horrified shock.

"Got an email from work yesterday. They're giving me the entire month off as a paid vacation." Emerald finally felt back in control, both of herself and the situation at hand. "I've saved up more vacation time than I'm allowed to, so they're paying me to use it." She paused again. "There's also - "

"Moo-vies?" Rhys interrupted, his face a mask of confusion.

"N-n-nothing. Nothing!" Ava stuttered out her reply. Between Emerald's reveal of her unexpectedly open schedule and the possibility of leaving all five Daemos unattended for several hours, the shorter woman was a nervous wreck.

Asch broke in. "What is this... 'movies'?"

"Don't ask!"

"Have you guys never been to a movie?" Lorelai stared at them in open disbelief.

"No," Pierce answered simply.

"What?! Really?! Not even for a _date?!"_

"Wait... " Leif stared at her intently. "Is that where you go to have a date?"

"Of course!"

Emerald could _feel_ the shift in the room's mood as all five Daemos simultaneously turned to stare almost hungrily at Ava, who looked absolutely miserable.

"Oh no... "

"I have an idea!" Lorelai declared happily.

Ava gasped in horror. "Stop!" She flung herself forward towards the brunette.

"We should _all_ go to the movies - ah!" She was cut off as Ava crashed into her, knocking them both to the floor in a heap.

"Wow. She just attacked her." Leif's eyes lit up. "I like that."

Emerald nudged him in the ribs. "Don't get any ideas, stabby-hands."

Lorelai shook her head to clear it. "Ava! What the _fuck?!"_

"You have _no_ idea what you've just unleashed," Ava growled darkly, glaring at her.

"Yeah, fun!" The brunette quickly stood up, laughing as she turned to the Daemos. "You guys should go get your horns off before we head out."

Emerald noticed Pierce and Rhys give each other a look before reaching up towards their horns. She quickly intervened. "Take those off in Ava's room! The stuff for the glue's in there, you know."

Luckily, they seemed to pick up on the hint. All five turned and entered Ava's room without a peep.

After watching them leave, Lorelai turned to the other two women. "I'm _so_ jealous. You two get to hang out with such hot guys!"

"Y-you're jealous... of me?" Ava seemed confused.

"Of course! And they're all cosplay guys as well!" She sighed dramatically. "Jealous!"

The shorter woman looked down, seemingly lost in thought.

"Still... I can't believe they've _never_ been to a movie theater!"

"They don't have those where they come from," Emerald cut in quickly. For once, it wasn't an outright lie: she was positive the Daemos didn't have _anything_ like that where they were from. She'd been able to gather that much from talking to them.

"How interesting."

"Take us to this place you speak of," Asch demanded, walking up with the others following closely behind.

"Follow me!"

Before anyone could take a single step, Emerald's arm snaked out and grabbed Lorelai by the bicep. "Time out, speedy." She gestured around the apartment. "Ava's still in her pajamas, and I'm not leaving the kitchen looking like _that_ for several hours." She looked to her roommate. "You go get dressed: I'll get this mess cleaned up by the time you're done. I'll even let you take a few of the pancakes to snack on for the walk over."

"A-are you sure?" Ava looked guilty. "You shouldn't have to clean up stuff on your birthday."

Emerald shook her head. "Nope. I had the idea to make pancakes, I helped make this mess, I should clean it up." She gave her wink. "It's the _responsible_ thing to do, after all." The veteran gave her a gently shove. "Now go get dressed. We'll get this taken care of."

No sooner had Ava closed the door to her room, the Daemos turned to her. "If we assist you in cleaning, would we receive more of the 'Happy Cat Face' stickers?" Noi asked, his eyes sparkling.

"Of course! Cleaning is a chore, so it definitely earns you a mark on the chart."

No sooner had she finished speaking, all five of them sprang into action.

* * *

With the Daemos helping, Emerald had made quick work of cleaning up the mess in the kitchen. As a reward, she'd given each one of them a sticker on the Chore Chart, as well as some pancakes from the stack they'd made. Predictably, Asch had grumbled about being forced to eat food 'made by a lesser being,' but had eventually relented and actually seemed pleased with the bready pastry.

"This place is amazing," Leif murmured in awe, glancing around at the movie theater.

Pierce looked concerned. "What is that smell?"

"Popcorn!" She glanced around at the Daemos. "Don't tell me you guys never had _that."_

Rhys shook his head. "Never."

"It smells good," the former general declared, closing his eyes.

"Wow. I should have offered to take you guys out before." Lorelai's eyes suddenly widened. "Nature calls! Be right back!" She took off running towards the bathroom, leaving the rest of them standing awkwardly in the middle of the lobby.

Ava sighed in relief. "Thank God. Alright, listen up." She fixed each Daemos with a serious glare. "You guys need to be on your best behavior. Seriously. Just don't ask questions, because people will know you're weird."

"Aren't we already weird?" Noi piped up.

"I mean, it'll set people off to thinking you're Daemos. Remember: humans are _powerful,_ and we have powerful magic."

"Not all of us," Emerald murmured under her breath, giving Ava a quick nudge to the side.

She plowed ahead, obliviously. "One wrong move, and you might get killed."

"I'm listening." As usual, just the mention of death was enough to pique Leif's interest.

Asch cocked one eyebrow. "What does the 'movies' do?"

"You'll have to experience it for yourselves. Besides, it's important for this trip to go smoothly. Today is Emerald's birthday. A birthday is a sacred event among humans, a celebration of our entry into the world. It's a time to do special things for them, let them know you're glad they're here."

The veteran covered her eyes with one hand, trying to hide her embarrassment. "Hey, come on, it's not _that_ big a deal... "

Ava shook her head. "No, it _is_ important. I mean, your work even gave you the entire _month_ off! That never happens, which means they must think pretty highly of you." She gave the woman a determined look. "You've been doing so much for me lately, it's only fair I help do something nice for you. So for the rest of the day, don't worry about anything else. I've got you covered."

"If you're sure... " Emerald still didn't look convinced, but figured it was better to go along with it anyway. Especially since the Daemos seemed intrigued by the concept, judging by the looks they were giving her.

The shorter woman turned back to the Daemos. "For now, just... ask questions _sparingly._ Alright?"

"When are we getting married?" Asch immediately piped up.

To their surprise, Rhys added "I am curious as well."

"_God!_ Look, I don't know what you guys are going through, but we'll talk about that later. If you guys are good on this trip, we'll... talk about the emotions you're feeling later. Okay?"

Pierce gave her an oddly serious look. "Do you swear?"

Ava sighed in frustration. "Yes, I swear."

"Good." Leif grinned.

"Also, don't you guys _dare_ use magic here. People will attack you if you do."

Emerald nodded. "You guys got lucky last time, after that whole incident at the grocery store." At their shocked faces, she couldn't help but give a small grin. "Hey, I might not remember everything about that day, but something like flying through the air definitely sticks out."

Before any of them could form an argument defending their actions, Lorelai ran back up to rejoin the group. "Alright, I'm back! Now, let's go get our tickets. Oh, but first we have to choose what movie we want to see!"

"Choose?" Rhys seemed pleasantly surprised. Apparently, he'd been under the impression it was a single, pre-determined event.

"Follow me! I have a feeling this is gonna be a _wonderful_ day!" Lorelai grabbed Emerald by the arm. "Come on, let's go see what's playing so you can decide! It is your special day, after all!" She practically dragged the larger woman off with her towards the posters, leaving the others behind.

"Yeah, I'm... I'm sure," Ava laughed unconvincingly as they left, before turning her attention back to the Daemos. "Alright, remember: we'll talk about marriage if this trip goes off without any problems. Keep that in mind. Let's go."


	18. Chapter 17 - Mixed Signals

_This is a work of fanfiction. All characters (except Emerald) belong to Aphmau / Jessica Bravura._

_Cover Art belongs to Aphmau / Jessica Bravura._

_Please don't sue me._

* * *

Ava, Emerald, and Lorelai stood in front of the posters, studying the movies currently playing. The Daemos were all gathered in a group off to the right, staring at more of the posters themselves.

"Hmm... decisions, decisions... " Lorelai kept looking over the choices, thinking aloud.

"Too many to make... it's almost like we shouldn't make _any!"_ Ava was all too ready to give up on the entire endeavor. "Oh well, we tried. Time to go home now, and - "

Emerald grabbed the shortest woman by the arm. "You wouldn't be thinking of _leaving_, would you? I seem to recall you promising to do something nice for me today." She grinned. "Well, I'm calling in that favor now. I want to watch a movie with our... friends. I think it's something all of us would enjoy. Plus, it gets you and me out of the apartment for a while, which is something I feel we don't do _nearly_ often enough."

"I mean, just look at them." Lorelai nodded towards the Daemos. "Look at that gleam in their eyes."

"They just look stupid," Ava scoffed.

Emerald frowned at her. "Okay, two things: one, they look stupidly excited. Two... " Here, she leaned in close to whisper. _"They are literally learning about an entirely new world. I think we should both have a little more patience towards them. Imagine if we ended up in wherever they're from. We'd be hopelessly lost and lucky to even last half an hour."_

Before Ava could respond, Lorelai came closer to the two women. "Oh c'mon, put some pep in your step! What do you have against going to the movies anyway, Ava? We went to the movies when we were in high school."

"We went _once_, and I told you: it was uncomfortable." Ava looked unimpressed at the interruption.

"I told _you_, they have new seats now, and - "

"No! That's not it!" She blushed furiously.

"Huh?"

"Lorelai, do you remember what happened during the movies?"

"Ummmmm... "

"Of course you don't remember," Ava sighed in frustration. "You were too busy making out with your then-boyfriend."

"Wha?! Hey, you didn't have to pay attention to _that!_ There were other people there too, ya know!"

"Yeah! I _know_ there were other people there, and guess what they were doing? Making out! Everyone was a couple, and I was the only one who _didn't_ have a date!"

"Ohhhhhh, I get what you're looking for now!" She gave the shorter woman a knowing look. "You want to relive that moment, don't you?"

"No. No I don't."

"I... have to agree," Emerald cut in, looking between the two women. "I wasn't there, but I can sympathize with being the only one not with someone at a place where everyone else is just focused on hooking up. It gets really awkward really quickly."

"No, I don't mean in the same way. I mean _you_ two want to be the center of attention! You _both_ want to make out with someone here!" Lorelai gave them both a sly look. "And I don't blame you. You both got some pickins."

"Lorelai... " Ava took a deep breath, bringing her hands together in front of her face. "How about... we just drop that subject and I just go to the movies without whining anymore?"

"Works for me," Emerald cut in, glancing between the two. "That's all I'm looking for out of today anyway: a nice, calm time at the movies, enjoying over-buttered popcorn and absorbing cheesy entertainment." She tapped the shorter woman on the shoulder, carefully guiding her away. "Come on, let's see if there's anything the guys are interested in watching."

Lorelai watched them both go, a mischievous look on her face. _"Oh, you two, I heard you loud and clear,"_ she murmured to herself, mind going into full-fantasy mode...

* * *

_"Oh Lorelai, I'm so desperate for a boyfriend! Someone I can kiss and smooch, but I don't how to look for boys, even though there's a whole hot flock in front of me. Oh, what am I going to do?! Boo-hoo-hoo... "_

_"Don't worry, Ava: I, your friend Lorelai, am going to get you the hottest hunk to ever hunk."_

_"Oh my God Lorelai, you're the bravest and the coolest! I want to be your friend! I swear, I'll be your friend forever if I get a boyfriend!"_

_"I'm on it, Ava! You can count on me!"_

_"Oh my God Lorelai, you're the greatest!"_

_"Can you help me, too?" Emerald stared at her in desperation. "I'm so busy all the time being a responsible adult, I never leave myself any time to have fun or find romance! Oh, if only I had a strong, handsome guy to hold me and make me feel appreciated!"_

_"Of course! I can help anyone!"_

_Suddenly, a helicopter touched down in the parking lot of the movie theater. A uniformed officer came running in, looking around before rushing straight over to where the women were standing. "Lorelai, I am the government."_

_Lorelai gasped in shock. "Mister Government?!"_

_"That's right! And after seeing how kind and caring you are to get Ava and Emerald a kiss, I'm going to make you the President!"_

_"M-me?!"_

_"Yes! Congratulations, Mrs. President!" That said, he turned and walked back to the helicopter as Ava and Emerald stared at her in speechless awe._

_"Oh. My. God!"_

* * *

"So, what movie do you guys wanna see?" Emerald asked as she came up behind the Daemos, dragging Ava along close behind. The shorter woman seemed completely uninterested in anything going on around her.

"I'm still conflicted on what we're doing," Rhys confessed, turning to face them.

The veteran let out a sigh. "Okay. So, we're watching a movie. It's... kind of like those books I gave to Noi the day you discovered what ice cream was. But instead of reading, you're just watching. With your eyes."

"R-really?!" The spectacled Daemos was positively glowing with excitement at the idea.

"I mean, that's the best way I can think of to describe it. You'll just be watching people act out a story on-screen."

"A real story?" Asch asked.

"No! No... " Emerald struggled to calm herself so she could find the proper words to explain the concept of a movie to them. "Just so you guys understand, nothing you see on the screen is actually happening. It's safe, and _not real._ It _can't_ hurt you."

Noi laughed happily. "Wow! That sounds so cool!"

"So what moo-vie are we going to see?' Rhys interrupted gently, still looking overly-excited.

"Well, I mean... it's up to you guys." The taller woman shrugged her shoulders. "I've seen just about everything they're showing today, so I'm fine with whatever you guys would like."

The Daemos prince cocked one eyebrow. "We... can choose?"

"Umm, you know what? Maybe it's better after all if I choose. I mean, it is my birthday. 'Sacred day' and all that jazz." Emerald sighed, holding one hand to her forehead. _'That was too close,'_ she thought, sighing internally._'The last thing I need for them to do is fight, which they'll surely do if I let them pick anything. Which means... I need to make all the decisions on what we're doing.'_ A small, wry grin appeared on her lips. _'So really, not that different from what I've already been doing every day since they first showed up.'_

"Princess Ava?" Leif broke in, tapping the shorter woman on the shoulder. She'd been absorbed in studying the posters, not really paying attention to what was happening around her. He pointed at Lorelai. "Your friend stopped moving."

All of them looked over. The young woman was blushing, eyes closed and expression akin to someone thinking about eating a perfectly-cooked steak rather than about which movie she might want to see. Or... anything, really.

Noi cocked his head in confusion. "Uh... what is she doing?"

"Uh, Lorelai?" Ava called out, trying to get her to focus. "Hey! Lorelai!" When she didn't respond, the shorter woman sighed and walked over. "What are you doing?"

The brunette shook herself out of her daydream. "Oh, ah... nothing! Nothing."

Emerald came over to join them. "Okay. Well, I've picked out a movie. We should get going to - "

"Hey, I think we should go to the bathroom."

Ava's eyes widened. "W-what?!"

"You know... bathroom! You know, how girls always go to the bathroom together. That kind of stuff." She gestured to the veteran. "Em knows what I'm talking about!"

"I have literally never done that once in my entire life."

"Welp, first time for everything!" With a surprising show of strength, Lorelai pushed both women towards the restroom.

The Daemos watched them go, before turning to one another in concern.

* * *

"Lorelai, stop!" Ava finally managed to step away from the brunette.

Lorelai raised one eyebrow questioningly. "Don't you have to go to the bathroom?"

"I do." At a look from Ava, Emerald shrugged her shoulders. "What? I was gonna stop in here before the movie anyway. Don't want to have to get up in the middle of it." She turned on her heel and headed into an empty stall.

"Well, I don't!"

Lorelai scooted sideways towards the sink, turning on the faucet before facing the shorter woman again. "How about now?"

She tried to maintain the glare, but after a few seconds Ava's expression softened in annoyance. "Yeah, now I have to go." As she went into another stall, she muttered "dang it" under her breath.

"Don't worry, you two: I'll wait right here for you." Lorelai barely finished the sentence before sliding stealthily out of the restroom. She was a bit surprised to see all five guys waiting in a semi-circle in front.

"Where are Princess Ava and Dame Emerald?" Pierce's voice was deadly calm.

"Aww! Princess?" Lorelai seemed oblivious to the danger she was in.

Asch glared. "What have you done with her?"

"They're both just using the bathroom." A mischievous smile spread over her face. "Now: I have to talk to you guys about Ava, Em, and _kissing."_

Noi cocked his head. "Kissing?"

"What's that?" Leif scoffed.

"W-wait wait wait." Her eyes sparkled. "Have you guys ever kissed a girl before?"

Pierce shook his head. "No."

"Unfortunately, we don't even know _where_ that is," Rhys explained, glancing around at his fellow Daemos.

Lorelai literally fell to the floor in shock, but recovered quickly. She stared as she stood back up, her eyes wide. "Okay, _where_ are you guys from? Hot hunks who haven't had their first kiss _and_ call a girl their princess?! You guys sound like you're from a magical land!"

"We're actually from - " Noi was cut off as Rhys ran over and punched him in the arm. " - ow! Oh, uh, heh... sorry. I forgot."

"Okay, look: it doesn't matter, alright? Just listen to me." She took a deep breath. "For as long as I've known Ava, she's _never_ had a date _or_ a kiss."

"Wait... a date?" Asch was instantly attentive.

"Don't tell me you guys don't know what that is, either... "

Rhys cleared his throat nervously. "Well, we... um... "

"We _know_ what it is," Leif interrupted confidently. "But, just so _we_ know that _you_ know what it is, explain it to us."

"That isn't going to work," the spectacled Daemos murmured, glaring at the former assassin.

Lorelai hummed in thought, hand under her chin. "Fair point."

"Huh?!"

"A date is like... something you do with someone you're interested in." She grinned slyly. "Or wanna get with, if you know what I mean."

"What _do_ you mean?" Noi blurted out innocently.

"You know, like... smash!"

" ... their head in?" Leif seemed thoroughly lost.

At the concerned look from Lorelai, Rhys cut in quickly. "H-he means figuratively, of course!"

"Oh! You mean, like, blow their mind?"

Now Pierce seemed lost. "With magic?"

"Enough of the words! Just tell me if this gets me closer to marrying Ava." The Daemos prince glared at her.

Lorelai gasped in delight. "You wanna marry Ava?!"

"Not if I do first!" Leif screeched defiantly.

The Daemos general piped up. "I want to as well."

"Uh, same!" Noi quickly added.

"Oh my God. This is amazing!" The brunette felt herself blushing. _'I can definitely get Ava a kiss. There's no way I can't with this many guys interested in her. Wait... why haven't any of them said anything about Em?'_

"Do you think you can help us?" Rhys broke in gently.

"Huh?"

"Princess Ava has been withholding information on how to win her affections. If you can help us, surely _one_ of us can win her over."

"You know, you guys talk super weird. No offense. But... oh my God. I am like the Love Master. Of course I can help!" Lorelai looked around at each of them. "But, I have to ask... are all you guys seriously _only_ trying to get with Ava? What's wrong with Em?"

"Oh, uh, nothing's... _wrong_ with Dame Emerald," Rhys stuttered, trying to think of a way out of this line of questioning. "She's just - "

" - Princess Ava suits our purpose more," Leif interrupted.

"Both Princess Ava and Dame Emerald would make desirable mates." Pierce glanced sideways at Asch. "They each have their strengths."

"Okay... " Lorelai furrowed her eyebrows. "Well, I'll still help you guys out. Just promise me you'll all at least _consider_ Em as a first choice and not just a back-up in case things don't work out with Ava. Because that's a really shitty thing to do to someone."

"But which will you set your alliance with?" Asch demanded.

"Huh?"

"Set it with me," Leif purred, even as he glared at her.

"No, with me!" Noi pleaded.

"Hold up, misters. I'm not setting up favorites here: you're all too hot for me to pick. So, I'm just gonna tell you how to woo a girl. It's up to you to decide who to use these tips on. Alright?"

"You _insolent_ \- !" Asch began, but was cut off by Rhys.

"We accept your humble offer."

Pierce placed a warning hand on the prince's shoulder. "Remember what Ava and Emerald said," he gently reminded, earning a groan from the leather-clad Daemos.

"Now, kissing Ava is a big deal, but you can _never_ force a kiss. That's a big no-no for anyone. From what I know, Em's kissed at least a couple of guys, but it's been a while since she's been in a relationship. A kiss has to be... natural! It has to feel meaningful."

"Can you show us what a kiss is?" Noi cut in.

"Oh my!" Lorelai blushed at the thought, giggling. "Well, I'm rusty, but... " At their confused expressions, she giggled again as she pulled out her phone. "I'm just kidding. Here, I'll show you a video on YouTube instead."

The Daemos studied the video carefully, Rhys's eyes widening. "Oh, you're talking about _caress!"_

"Huh." Leif seemed interested for once. "So humans call it something different."

The brunette furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. "Huh?"

"Is that something so casually done on Earth?" Asch seemed concerned.

She laughed. "Lots of people kiss. It's totally normal."

"Oh yeah, I can totally see Ava doing that with me," Leif bragged confidently.

Asch looked positively murderous. "Why you - !"

"Now, you guys have to win their affection. And the movies is a _great_ place to do that! First, you need to ask Ava and Em about themselves. But, since you're their friends, I'm sure you guys know about that already. Now, listen to my advice... "

* * *

Ava and Emerald emerged from their respective stalls at the same time. After washing their hands, the latter looked around the restroom. "Huh? Where did Lorelai go?"

The shorter woman gasped in shock. "Oh no!" She grabbed the veteran by the arm, dragging her out before either of them could dry their hands properly. To her relief, all of them were standing nearby, no one missing and nothing on fire.

"H-Hey! Sorry it took so long," Ava apologized, screeching to a halt. Emerald barely managed to catch herself from barreling into her from behind.

"Yeah, that was my fault." The taller woman rubbed the back of her head. "I had to - " She cut herself off as she caught the expressions on each Daemos's face. "What's going on?"

"Oh! Nothing, nothing," Lorelai soothed, looking suspiciously pleased with herself. "Hey, I'm gonna go buy the tickets now. My treat. 'Kay?"

"Uh... okay." Ava seemed just as confused by the sudden shift.

"You guys go buy the refreshments!" Without waiting for an answer, the brunette took off towards the ticket booth.

"Did... something happen?" Emerald looked between each of the Daemos. "Why are you guys all smiling at us like that?"

"No reason!" Rhys was quick to speak up. "Just basking in your beauty." He let out an easy laugh.

Ava blinked hard, taken aback. "O-kay... "

"Oh, shit," Emerald murmured suddenly. "Lorelai never asked me what movie I wanted to see. I'd better get over there before she picks something weird." She patted the shorter woman on the shoulder. "Go ahead and pick out some food. I'm good with anything."

Once the veteran had left, Ava turned to the Daemos. "Well, let's go buy snacks and stuff. Since Lorelai is getting the movie, I wanna at least get some stuff for her." She glanced over at the ticket booth. "I hope Em gets to her in time so we don't get stuck watching something bad."

"Ooo! Shall we get ice cream?" The spectacled Daemos gave her a warm grin. "I'll share it with you... "

"Uh, sure." Ava found herself blushing. "I guess I'll show you guys how to do that stuff."

* * *

In what seemed like the blink of an eye, Ava successfully navigated the five Daemos through the process of ordering food from the concessions counter. All of them except Rhys had a bucket of popcorn, in addition to four drinks held by Ava, Leif, Noi, and Pierce. Rhys, of course, held his Derpy-Eyed Munchie Bear Pop like a sacred talisman.

Asch was already plowing through his popcorn like a starving man. "Th-this 'popping corn'... it's fantastic!"

"I've... never had anything like this before," Leif confessed, eyeing his own bucket hungrily.

"Yeah, well, don't eat it all before the movie, or else... " Ava trailed off as she watched Asch, Leif, and Noi all finish their buckets at the same time. _'Where do they even put all that food so quickly?!'_ she thought to herself. "Seriously guys?"

"It's just... Ee-urth food is so easy to eat fast!" Noi exclaimed, mouth full of popcorn.

"That's why you need to savor it, as I do with my ice cream." Rhys took a controlled bit of his treat.

"We're back!" Lorelai called happily, coming over with Emerald to stand near Ava. "Oh, you guys got snacks. Awesome!"

"Here, I got some for you two," Ava said, placing the popcorn and drinks she'd been holding into Emerald and Lorelai's hands.

"A-are you sure you don't want any?" the former asked, giving her a confused look. "I know how much you like popcorn and all."

"Nah, I'm good. I - "

"I'll... share mine with you," Pierce spoke up softly.

"Huh? Oh, awesome! Thanks Pierce!"

"Here." Lorelai held out the tickets in her hand. "We're gonna see 'Horror Lovey-Dovey-Kissy Romance Movie'!"

"Oh God I knew it," Ava murmured under her breath.

"Hey, don't blame me," Emerald muttered back. "She was already paying by the time I got over to her."

"Theater A. Let's go!" Lorelai called out happily as the other two women walked by her. Once they were out of earshot, she turned to the Daemos. "Remember what I told you," she confided, giving them all a conspiring grin before heading towards the theater herself.

Each Daemos nodded to the others before moving on.

* * *

Ava lead the way to their row, choosing the seat in the very middle. Before she could sit, Asch and Leif rushed up on either side.

"_I'm_ sitting next to her," the Daemos prince declared.

Not one to be outdone, the former assassin shot back "No, I am!"

Ava plopped into her seat, raising an eyebrow as she looked between them. "There's two seats next to me, you know."

Both Daemos gave dramatic sighs, but quickly sat down anyway. "Like I'd ever breathe the same air as you," Asch murmured under his breath, glaring at Leif.

Emerald came through next, taking in the seating situation. "Hmm... looks like Pierce won't be able to share his popcorn with you, Ava." She looked down at her own snacks, before nodding and giving them to the shorter woman. "Why don't you take mine? I'll sit on the end near Pierce, so I can share his."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, it'll be fine." She looked around at the rest of the group. "Okay, Pierce: why don't you sit next to Asch. And... Lorelai, you can sit next to Leif. Then Noi can sit next to you, and I'll sit on the other end between Pierce and Rhys. Does that work for everybody?"

Whether it was because they actually agreed with her plan or were determined not to risk losing their chance at discussing marriage with Ava later, none of the Daemos raised any objections. Lorelai did have a curious gleam in her eye as she passed by, but didn't say anything and settled in as well.

Emerald took her seat between the two blue-eyes Daemos, taking a small handful of popcorn from Pierce's bucket. "Thanks for sharing with me," she said, giving him a smile. "I know I'm not who you were hoping to sit by, but I hope you're not too disappointed."

"Uh, no. Of course not." He looked away guiltily, thinking back to what Lorelai had said earlier.

Rhys gave her a friendly grin from her other side. "I'm glad to be sitting next to you, Dame Emerald. Perhaps you'll be able to help me understand the nuances of this 'moo-vie'."

She returned the grin. "Of course. Just let me know _quietly_ if you don't understand something, and I'll do my best to explain."

Any further discussion would have to wait, as the lights dimmed and the movie began.

* * *

It went about as well as could be expected.

From Asch yelling at Leif for trying to put his arm around Ava to Noi's outburst at the "monster" in one scene, it was becoming fairly obvious the other movie-goers were getting annoyed at the group. However, it was the vague, wet sounds of couples making out behind them that was _really_ getting on Emerald's nerves.

She sighed, leaning her right elbow on the armrest as she stared at the screen. The movie itself was painfully stupid (some sort of Twilight ripoff, which really wasn't saying much about the quality of the film), but Pierce and Rhys seemed to be enjoying themselves. If nothing else, both were calm and hadn't attracted any negative attention like the others.

Suddenly, Rhys gave a surprised yelp next to her. The veteran looked from him to the screen, noticing it involved a car crash. _'I wonder if it reminds him of the little accident we had at the grocery store,'_ she thought.

Even as the other patrons shushed him (one even calling out for him to "Shut up"), Emerald reached over and took his left hand in hers. _"It's okay, Rhys,"_ she whispered softly, leaning close so he could hear her. _"Remember, it's not real."_ Absentmindedly, she rubbed the back of his hand with her thumb, hoping the comforting gesture translated across cultures. _"I'm right here."_

In the dark, she didn't notice the spectacled Daemos's face flushing bright with a blush as he stared at her hand in his. He was also aware of how close she was to him: she'd never leaned back after she'd whispered to him, instead resting her shoulder against his.

Before he could even think of any sort of response, a movie usher came strolling up in front of the group. "Excuse me, but I'm gonna have to ask you guys to leave. You've caused quite a disturbance to the Force." He let out a snorting laugh at his own terrible joke. "That's a Star Wars."

"Yeah, I get it nerd," Ava popped up, grumpy at the interruption. "And don't worry: we were just leaving, anyway."

"But I want to know where the story goes." Rhys sounded disappointed, keenly aware Emerald was still holding his hand.

"I'll explain it to you later," the veteran replied, getting a mischievous look in her eye as she turned to face the usher. "Hey, how familiar are you with indecent exposure law?"

"Uh... what are you talking about?"

"I'm just curious why you're throwing us out and not the three half-naked couples making out in Row K. Not to mention the dude getting a blow job in the top row right under the projector... " Before anyone could say anything, Emerald grabbed the drink cup from Lorelai's hand just as she was passing by, lobbing it straight at the projection booth.

A loud string of cursing met their ears as a shadowy silhouette of a guy with his pants halfway down suddenly splashed across the screen, letting her know she'd scored a direct hit.

"RUN!" She called to the others, grabbing Pierce's hand as she dragged him and Rhys along after her. Luckily the others caught on quickly, hot on her heels as she led the way out of the theater and into the parking lot.

"W-what are you _doing?!"_ Ava shouted, barely keeping up with her.

"Don't stop!" Emerald called back, ducking down a side alley. "We have to get back to the apartment block first!"

Leif laughed maniacally, pushing Noi and Ava along in front of him. This was an adventure he _definitely_ hadn't been expecting, but was more than happy to go along with. Noi and Ava, on the other hand, both seemed to be panicking. But with the former assassin forcing them forward, they had no choice but to keep moving.

Even Asch seemed to be enjoying himself, keeping pace with the group easily as he grinned. Lorelai brought up the rear, unsure how everything had gotten so... weird.

* * *

The ride up to the apartment in the elevator was eerily somber. Emerald had finally noticed she was still holding Rhys's hand, dropping it in embarrassment and hoping she hadn't broken some sort of Daemos law about touching or other such nonsense. She did give him a quick explanation of the rest of the movie, as promised.

As soon as the elevator doors opened on their floor, the veteran herded the Daemos into the apartment, staying behind at the door with Ava, who was apologizing profusely.

"Sorry about the guys acting like that. I'm not really sure what came over them."

"I'm sorry, too," Emerald added, rubbing the back of her head sheepishly. "I didn't mean to get us in trouble like that near the end. I was just sick of hearing all that... 'extra' noise behind us, but _we_ were the ones getting kicked out."

"Heh, I'm not sure either." Lorelai let out an odd little giggle. "Either way, is was nice of you two to go out, even though it was only for an hour."

"Yeah. Thanks for inviting us, Lorelai. I had a lot of fun, and I'm sure Ava did too."

"How about we try next week?"

"Next year? Perfect! Bye!" Ava nudged Emerald out of the way, slamming the door closed before anyone could say a word.

Lorelai turned to leave, but paused and turned around after only a few steps. "Hey Ava!" she called out. "For what it's worth, you're fun to hang out with!"

On the other side of the door, the shorter woman sighed. "You too," she muttered in defeat.

The brunette laughed happily. "I win!" Satisfied with her victory, she turned and headed towards the elevator.

* * *

"You've all surely done it now!" Rhys scolded, the other Daemos gathered around him in a circle. "Ava and Emerald are not going to forgive us for this."

"Asch's fault," Leif accused flatly.

Naturally, that set off the Daemos prince. "_My_ fault?!"

"And none of us got the kiss," Noi sobbed.

_"Disappointed!"_ Pierce roared, oddly animated in his reaction.

Rhys seemed oddly conflicted. "Princess Ava is sure to have Dame Emerald _kill_ us now, especially since we ruined the 'sacred birthday'." Even as he said those words, the spectacled Daemos was still thinking about how the veteran had held his hand for so long, remembering the feeling of her skin against his -

"Thank you guys _so much!"_ Ava called out, interrupting his thoughts and drawing the attention of all the Daemos. She and Emerald were standing near the kitchen counter, smiling at the guys.

"Huh?!" They all turned simultaneously in shock, hardly believing they were going to survive the day.

"I didn't want to go out at _all_ today, and I was afraid she would ask us to dinner, and then she'd ask me about my life, and... I'm just glad it's over and now I can go back to sleep."

"But what about the kiss?" Noi stared at her like a kicked puppy.

Emerald seemed confused. "Whoa, who said anything about a kiss?"

"Lorelai had spoken to us about a kiss at the movies and how it meant a date." Rhys gave the veteran a meaningful look. "She led us to believe we would receive one if we succeeded in courting you two."

"Oh, that." Ava stepped in quickly. "Yeah, Lorelai likes to make that stuff up, but - "

"Ignore the kiss!" Asch bellowed, determined to gain control of the situation. "Let's talk about the marriage!"

"Uh... "

"I _demand_ that - "

"Follow my lead!" Ava shouted, grabbing Emerald by the wrist and dragging her along as she rushed over to plant a quick kiss on Asch's cheek. The veteran had no choice but to follow suit, working with the shorter woman to simultaneously kiss each Daemos on the cheek one by one.

Ava quickly retreated to her room, turning around once she was standing in the doorway. "That should hold you guys until later, right? No marriage talk after that kiss! We're even! Now, good night." She immediately slammed her door shut.

Emerald stood facing them for a bit, smiling awkwardly. "Seriously though, thanks for coming out with us today. You guys made it a special birthday, which is something I haven't had in quite a while." She gave them all a little wave as she retreated towards her own room. "Good night."

As soon as they heard the veteran's door close, the Daemos turned to one another in shock. "That was... " Leif was blushing furiously.

Asch seemed gobsmacked. "We _all_ got the kiss... from _both_ of them."

"What does that mean?" Rhys looked pointedly down the hallway towards Emerald's room.

"Yahoo!" Noi cried out, jumping excitedly around the living room furniture, more happy noises escaping from him.

The former assassin was still strangely docile. "For once... I have nothing to say."

"Y-y-yes," Pierce stuttered out, even less eloquent than usual.

* * *

Safely tucked away inside her room, Ava finally let herself freak out to Johnny. "What was I thinking," she muttered. "I can't believe I did that, I'm an _idiot!"_

As usual, the feline ignored her, blissfully napping away on her bed.

She curled up in a miserable little ball, holding the cat close. "But, Em was right there with me, kissing away. Do you think... you think, maybe, she really _does_ like some of them? I mean, she could've just told me no, or just stood there."

Ava gave a little huff. "I wish she'd just go after some of them. It'd definitely put less pressure on me." She paused, thinking. _'That might not be such a bad idea after all. Maybe I can get her alone tomorrow and we can have a proper discussion about it... '_

* * *

Emerald wasn't faring much better in her own room.

She sat on the edge of her bed, head in her hands as she stared at the floor. _'Well, that was a mistake,'_ she sighed tiredly. _'If they weren't getting mixed signals before, they definitely are now.'_ Despite herself, the veteran soon found herself smiling softly. _'If I'm being honest though, it was kind of nice. It's been a while since I got to do something like that.'_

The more she sat and thought, the more her expression fell. While it had been nice to get out of the apartment for the day, there was still the matter of that latest email she'd received from her employers. _'I'm gonna have to tell Ava eventually. I can't keep lying to her about what's going on at work. If nothing else, she needs to know by the end of the month so we can figure something out with the rent.'_

Emerald was so wrapped up in her own thoughts, she almost missed the soft knock on her door. She jumped slightly, caught off guard by the sudden possibility of a visitor. "Wh-who's there?"

"May I come in, Dame Emerald?"

She froze, hardly believing who had come to visit her. "S-sure, Rhys. Door's unlocked."


	19. Chapter 18 - Electronic Babysitter

_This is a work of fanfiction. All characters (except Emerald) belong to Aphmau / Jessica Bravura._

_Cover Art belongs to Aphmau / Jessica Bravura._

_Please don't sue me._

* * *

Asch sat brooding on his throne, going over the events of the previous day. _"I am the prince of Daemos,"_ he murmured, scowling in thought. _"My destiny is a great honor."_ Even as he said the words, his mind flashed images of everything he had endured with the two human females so far.

The Daemos prince was almost disgusted by the surge of emotions he felt thinking back to how all the Daemos had received the _caress_. Still, he continued to muse on the situation. _"It makes no sense... there is no reason for them to tolerate us as they do. If our positions were reversed, we would have harvested them without hesitation."_ He frowned. _"But, then we never would have learned of Princess Ava's lineage and power, nor the potential for magic from this world._

_"My thoughts continue to betray me... "_ he muttered in irritation.

A voice broke through his brooding. "Your mind wanders far too much these days."

Asch's eyes shot open to see Rhys standing before him. "Uh... how long have you been there?"

"I just arrived." The spectacled Daemos paused, as if collecting his own thoughts. "We all know you sit on that throne when you're lost in thought."

"I watched my father ponder in this manner for as long as I can remember."

"Tell me: what's on your mind?" At Asch's continued silence, he decided to venture a guess. "It's the _caress_ Princess Ava and Dame Emerald gave to us yesterday, isn't it?"

"How do you know?" The Daemos prince seemed stunned by his advisor's insight.

"It's still on my mind, as well. I didn't realize such as action would have such a... grasp on me like this."

"Do you think it's their magic?"

"No doubt. But... it confuses me. We have been working under the assumption Emerald does not have any magic."

"As she told us herself."

"Indeed." Rhys paused, looking concerned. "Yet, this action seems to suggest otherwise. It might be possible that the humans of this world possess a sort of... _passive_ magic that does not require any techniques we are familiar with." He closed his eyes. "It seems my emotions have been compromised with thoughts of both Ava _and_ Emerald."

"A mind control tactic?"

"I can't tell." Rhys shook himself, opening his eyes again. "Regardless, I feel there's something else on your mind."

Asch nodded. "You are my grandmother's sole pupil. Has she ever mentioned anything to you about solving the Magic Crisis?"

"N-no." Rhys shook his head, suddenly looking even more nervous than before. "I mean, aside from the mission we're currently carrying out now here on Ee-urth. I'm not aware of any other method, since this has never happened before on Daemos."

_"It happened a very long time ago,"_ Asch murmured softly, as if in a trance. _"The Royal Family will pay in some way."_

"Did you say something, your majesty?"

"Ah, nevermind." The Daemos prince quickly recovered his senses. He rose and descended from his throne, but paused halfway out of the room. "Rhys: do you like it here. On Ee-urth?"

"I'd be lying if I said no," he confessed, looking pensive. "What about you?"

"I think we need to learn everything we can about Ee-urth... even if it takes longer than we hoped." He stalked out of the room, brooding again.

* * *

Rhys sighed, both in concern over Asch's current mood and in relief he had not pressed harder about other possible solutions to the Magic Crisis. He felt he'd narrowly avoided giving everything away... and not just about Lady Grandma's plan.

The truth was, the spectacled Daemos felt he had been severely compromised by the _caress_ from the humans. Especially if last night's visit with Emerald was anything to -

_"I have this bad feeling about Asch."_

Rhys turned towards the source of the voice, staff already brandished in front of him. Leif was hanging upside-down on the ceiling, but quickly phased upright to stand in front of him.

"Oh, calm down," the former assassin scoffed, hands resting casually at his sides. "If I wanted to kill you and Asch, it would have been done long ago. I just happened to be passing by and heard your conversation."

He scoffed, but put his staff away. "What do you make of it?"

"He's in no rush to get back to Daemos, it's pretty evident."

"To be honest, I don't think any of us are." Rhys nodded in the direction Asch had gone. "What do you think _his_ reason is?"

"Don't know, don't care. I for one am _amused_ by Ee-urth."

"Let's just hope that someone unwanted doesn't come looking for us."

Leif scoffed at the idea, grinning. "No way anyone can make it here without Lady Grandma. I think we're fine."

* * *

"What am I doing?" Ava sighed as she knelt in front of the washer, seemingly mesmerized by the spinning drum.

Emerald glanced up from the book she was reading and gave Ava an unamused stare. The veteran was stretched across the table in the apartment building's public laundry room, her own clothes already going in another machine. "I would _hope_ you're doing your laundry, since it's the whole reason we're even down here right now."

"I mean, the whole thing with the Daemos. I can't believe we gave them all a kiss... I mean, it was on the cheek, but what if they think we meant more by it?"

"It's a little late to be worrying about that now, isn't it?" The veteran sat up, closing her book over the bookmark. "Why not just relax and... see what happens next?" She smiled. "Who knows, maybe you'll find you want to get to know one of them better."

"Why? Have you already got some picked out?" Ava straightened up and gave her an accusatory glare, but it didn't seem to have any real energy behind it. "Maybe two blue-eyed Daemos with dark hair? One with glasses, the other with muscles for days?"

Emerald gave her a non-committal shrug. "Maybe, maybe not." She met Ava's eyes. "It doesn't really matter though, does it? You're the one they've set their sights on, so it seems a bit pointless for me to get involved."

"You could at least _try_ leading a few of them off of me. I mean, I thought you were supposed to be helping me out."

The veteran looked like she'd been slapped. "Are you... _seriously_ trying to guilt trip me into pity-dating multiple guys because you think it's my _job?!"_

The shorter woman got the feeling she'd crossed a line. "Look, I'm sorry, okay? It's just... I didn't really think about what I was doing last night and I'm sorry I dragged you along into it." She sighed, looking away.

Emerald rubbed the back of her neck, looking worn out. "Well, it got them to shut up about that whole 'marriage' thing, so there is that."

"Marriage? Already?" A soft voice cooed from the doorway, catching both their attention.

"Mrs. Oates!" Ava squeaked out in shock before rushing forward. "Here, let me take that for you." She carefully tried to carry the elderly woman's basket, shocked when she didn't let go.

"Oh sweetie, just because I _look_ a hundred years old doesn't mean I _feel_ a hundred years old."

"_Are_ you a hundred years old?" The shorter woman looked even more unsure of herself.

The old woman laughed loudly at that, deftly taking her clothes basket back and opening one of the free washers. "I'm confused," she continued, looking between the younger women as she loaded her clothes. "Don't you two have a laundry room in your apartment?"

"Yeah, we do. But... uh... " For once, Emerald seemed at a loss for words.

Mrs. Oates rounded the table, going to the smaller one to drop off her basket. "Avoiding your 'boy toys'?"

"Yeah, pretty much."

"No, wait!" Ava cut in, immediately blushing. "They're not our - !"

"Oh, I know," the elderly woman interrupted, smiling kindly. "I'm just teasing you. I'm going to assume those boys _live_ with you two?"

"Yeah, they do." At a look from the shorter woman, Emerald sighed. "Look, there's no point in denying it at this point. I'm pretty sure she's known for a while now."

Mrs. Oates nodded. "I figured as much. I hear them yelling a lot of the time, but they see to care about you two."

"I mean... yeah," Ava admitted. "For their own benefit, it seems."

"Most people are kind for different reasons. The entirety of the human race is only nice in hopes that we don't _kill_ each other. We mutually benefit from that." She gave them a knowing smile. "I would assume you two aren't kind to those boys unless you're getting something out of it yourselves."

"Uh... "

"I mean... "

Mrs. Oates laughed kindly. "You know Ava, ever since you moved into this apartment building, I haven't seen you this happy." While the short young woman mused over her words, the senior turned to Emerald. "Emmy, on the other hand... "

The veteran's head shot up. "Huh?"

"You seem like you've been a bit stressed this past week. Is everything okay?"

"Oh, uh, yeah." She cleared her throat. "You know how it is: work, helping Ava get settled, making sure the guys don't fight too much. If anything, it kind of reminds me of when I was still in the Air Force... " She trailed off again, looking sad.

Mrs. Oates shook her head. "You know, at some point, we have to stop being so stubborn and be honest with our feelings. If you're both happy to have friends, you should enjoy them while you have them... before they leave you."

"Have you had friends leave you before, Mrs. Oates?" Ava sounded a bit sad.

"Oh, plenty. Some because we just faded apart and because, well... I mean, they _died."_

"Oh! I'm sorry... "

"No, no! It happens! It's a natural part of life, but my point stands. It's better to have had people who you care about then none at all."

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Ava agreed, looking a little more cheerful.

On the other hand, Emerald seemed downright dour. _"There's a point where it gets tiring watching everyone leave you behind,"_ she murmured softly to herself.

"Did you say something, Emmy?"

"N-no! Just thinking out loud." She gave a short bark of nervous laughter. "You know how it is sometimes."

"Oh! That reminds me: I bought a gift for you two."

Ava looked both confused and intrigued. "A gift... for us?"

"Yes! Follow me."

Emerald jumped off the table and followed along behind them, still deeply lost in thought. _'I can't do this forever,'_ she thought miserably. _'I need to talk to Ava soon. But... at least she won't be alone. The Daemos will stay with her.'_ She felt a small, sad grin creeping onto her face. _'It's not like they'd even notice if I left, anyway.'_

* * *

Back in the apartment, Noi and Rhys were over near the bookcase, browsing more of the books Emerald had left out for them from her room. Pierce was sitting on the couch, calmly surveying the scene. Leif popped out of the portal and took a good look around the living room. "Has anyone seen Princess Ava?"

Noi turned to face him. "Um, she's not in her room."

"Did you go in there without permission?" Rhys sounded disappointed in the smallest Daemos.

"Gah! J-j-just to check on her and m-make sure no one killed her!"

"I check up on her as well, in case someone tries killing her." Leif scoffed. "Someone has to, since Dame Emerald seems content to neglect her duties at night."

Rhys glared at both of them "Princess Ava asked us to not enter her chambers without permission! At least Prince _Asch_ has the decency to - "

In what could only be described as comedic timing, the Daemos prince chose that particular moment to throw open Ava's bedroom doors, stalking out in irritation. "Has anyone seen Princess Ava? She isn't in her room."

The spectacled Daemos looked to the couch in desperation. "Pierce... please tell me you don't - "

"I check on her as well."

"Gah! No wonder Princess Ava and Dame Emerald seem to get frustrated with us. _Some_ of you can't follow simple instructions!" Rhys sighed tiredly. "Have any of you done this to Dame Emerald?"

Asch made a disgusted noise. "No. Why would I waste my time on a lower-class human?"

"Same here." The former assassin looked around at the others. "What? If she was guarding Princess Ava competently, then we wouldn't have to check."

"I, uh... " Noi swallowed hard. "I visit her sometimes, but not too much. She still scares me a bit."

Pierce nodded again. "I also check on her."

Rhys let out another exasperated noise. "All you have to do is ask permission. Dame Emerald was more than accommodating when I knocked on her door last night."

The Daemos general looked at him oddly. "What were _you_ doing in her room?"

Before Rhys could answer, the front door banged open. Instead of the two human women appearing, there only followed more banging and grunts.

"Princess Ava?" Leif phased away, confused by the noise.

Rhys shouted after him. "Leif! For the last_ time,_ stop using your magic to - Oh, you know what? Just forget it... "

* * *

"Careful!" Emerald grunted, pushing against the side of the over-sized television stuck in the doorframe. In hindsight, she probably should've gone and grabbed one of the spare sheets from the linen closet to help slide the machine through the opening.

"I'm... trying!" Ava called back, pulling ineffectually at the other side.

They were both so focused on the task at hand, neither one was particularly surprised when Leif suddenly phased into existence next to them. "Princess Ava! What are you doing?!"

"Do you think... you can help us... pull this in?"

Leif carefully took hold of the side Ava was on, ready to pull, when -

"Wait!" Emerald slid over the top of the box, running to the laundry room. She soon came back with a silk sheet. She hopped back to the other side, wiggling the sheet between the sides of the television and the doorframe. "There, that should make this a little easier. Hopefully it doesn't leave any marks... "

Working together, all three quickly got the machine through the doorway. Emerald stopped to examine the doorframe once they were through, motioning for the others to go ahead and take it into the living room. Once there, Ava directed the former assassin to place it on the coffee table.

Rhys cocked one eyebrow. "What is this?"

"This is a piece of ancient Earth technology. It's something from the Dark Age in our history," Ava began explaining mysteriously.

"A 'Dark Age'?" Asch sounded intrigued.

Leif's eyes were huge with excitement. "_Now_ I'm interested!"

"This is a TV. Long before the smartphone and the computer, the TV was a primary way humans would get their information. It was like 'one in every household' and surprisingly, as much as people hated them, they actually brought people into the same room, as opposed to the technology of today."

"Whoa, I'm gonna stop you right there on the whole 'Dark Age' description." Emerald walked by the kitchen, coming to a stop next to the couch. "I know how adamant you are about computers and smartphones being the pinnacle of technology, but TVs are still a valid entertainment medium." She grinned. "Besides, don't you have that _huge_ wall-sized one in your room? I'm still surprised we even managed to fit it in there in the first place... "

"Fascinating!" Rhys's expression changed from enthrallment to confusion. "But... why do you have this one now?"

"Well, it's actually a gift from Mrs. Oates. I didn't want to accept it, but she was insistent. It's actually too bulky, but I didn't want to turn her down." The veteran gave the machine an affectionate smack on the side. "So this TV is for you guys now instead."

"For us?!" The spectacled Daemos was back to fascinated again.

Asch, however, was still in a mildly combative mood. "But why? Why can't we just use the com-poo-ter?"

"Oh, I'll tell you _exactly_ why," Emerald began. "I allowed Rhys to use the computer out here once... "

* * *

_"What are you doing?" Leif walked up behind Rhys, staring at what he was doing. "I thought I destroyed this thing."_

_The spectacled Daemos glanced over his shoulder from where he sat at the computer desk in the living room. "Dame Emerald fixed it, and has allowed me access to this 'com-puter'. She said I can gain all the knowledge we need from it, if she is busy with her duties and unavailable to answer questions."_

_"Really?"_

_"Yes. I'm trying to brush up on my reading."_

_Both Daemos started as the computer gave a sudden beep, Leif drawing his weapons out of habit. "What was that?!"_

_"Something... popped up."_

_The former assassin gasped in shock. "It's a human female!" His expression quickly morphed to one of confusion. "Why's she puckering her lips at us?"_

_"I... don't know?" Rhys seemed unsure himself._

_"What does it say?"_

_"Uh... " He squinted at the screen. "It says: 'Hot Singles... Looking to Meet You... in Your Area'. They want to meet us?"_

_"And they possess the power of fire?"_

_"I don't like this... "_

_"Leave it to me!" Leif leapt forward with a screech, smashing his knives into the computer repeatedly._

_"No! Leif, stop! Not again!" Rhys tried, in vain, to suppress the former assassin's frenzy... to no avail._

* * *

"Look, I just won't go near that thing ever again." Leif seemed a bit annoyed at being reminded of his mistake.

"It's not just you I don't trust," Emerald sighed, looking around at the others. "Before that little episode, Rhys clicked on a ton of ads and the computer got a virus." She rubbed the back of her neck. "Honestly though, that's my fault: I shouldn't've just given you free rein without making sure you knew what you were doing. So... I'm not trusting any of you guys alone with the computer ever again. Period."

Rhys cocked an eyebrow. "So, what's to say we won't do the same thing to _this_ technology?"

Ava jumped in, eager to show she was helping just as much. "Well, you can't click on ads on this one: all you can do is just change channels. So, this is for you guys. We're going to leave this TV to you. Okay?"

"What do we do with it?" Pierce didn't seem all too impressed with the gift.

"Just watch it: I'm sure you can learn a thing or two from it."

"Enough," Asch interrupted, although more calmly than he usually did. "Let's talk about the marriage."

Ava gasped in forced horror. "Oh my God! I suddenly got the urge to become _responsible!"_

"W-what?"

"Oh man, I have to go look for a job and do a lot of actual adult things!" She laughed nervously, avoiding the glare Emerald was sending her way. "I _really_ got to take care of this, so I'll be on my phone in my room. Bye!" She booked it towards her bedroom door, slamming it shut behind her before anyone could say a word.

"It seems Princess Ava is busy," Pierce observed quietly.

Asch sighed tiredly. "I-I suppose she has duties to attend to. It... it's _upsetting_ it came to mind as soon as I mentioned 'marriage'."

"I'm... I'm sure she just needs a moment," Noi added, trying to be helpful.

Emerald sighed in frustration. "I never thought I'd say this... but I agree with Asch. It _is_ a bit too convenient that she suddenly has this overwhelming desire to do things she's _supposed_ to have been doing all along." She gave the Daemos prince a commiserating grin. "But I do appreciate how you handled it. Thank you."

The Daemos stared at her in open shock. The one dynamic everyone had pretty much come to accept was Emerald and Asch would never be able to interact peacefully with each other. Both seemed to have come to the mutual agreement to simply avoid talking to the other: the fact they'd held _any_ sort of civilized conversation was amazing.

The mood in the room seemed a bit too much for the veteran, so she hurried to change the subject. "Anyway, about this TV... "

Noi tilted his head. "What about it?"

"As it is right now, you're not going to be able to watch anything. It needs an antenna or a receiver, otherwise it's just going to show static."

"Stah-tick?" Rhys frowned at the unfamiliar word.

"Ah, right," she murmured, pinching the bridge of her nose under her glasses. "It's basically a scrambled signal. The receiver will translate the image and sound into something you can understand." She walked by them, headed towards her room. "I might still have one in my closet, let me take a look."

When she emerged empty-handed a few minutes later, Emerald was surprised to see all the Daemos still waiting in the living room. "You're all still here?"

"We are waiting for you to bring us the 'ree-see-ver'," Rhys explained.

"It looks like I don't have one after all. I'm gonna have to go out and see if any of the second-hand stores have some in stock." She turned to leave. "You guys are more than welcome to see if you can figure it out, though. I shouldn't be gone too long."

As soon as he heard the front door close, Asch turned to his advisor. "Rhys, what... w-w-what's the deal with this?"

"I'm not so sure." He came over and picked up the remote, pushing a few buttons experimentally. "I'll sit here and try to figure out how this works."

"Very well. Call us when you find something."

"Will do." Rhys was already focused on the task at hand, so he didn't notice when the other four Daemos went back through the portal.

* * *

Hours passed.

It was early evening by the time Emerald got back from her errand. As expected, it had proven difficult to locate a receiver that would hook up to the older TV, but she had finally succeeded. On the way home, she stopped by the Japanese cafe across the street and picked up some bento boxes for dinner.

As she took her shoes off near the front door, she was surprised to hear frustrated clicking coming from the living room._ 'Don't tell me... '_ The veteran walked into the dark main room of the apartment, unsurprised to see Rhys sitting on the couch in front of the TV. He kept clicking the remote in his hand, although she was pretty sure the batteries in it were dead by now.

"Rhys? Have you been trying to get the TV working the whole time I was gone?"

"Ah, Dame Emerald. Yes, I thought I might at least be able to turn it on and observe the 'stah-tick' you spoke of earlier." The spectacled Daemos looked worn out.

She gave him a sympathetic smile. "You're not missing out on anything exciting, I promise you that." She held out two of the extra bento boxes she'd picked up. "Here: I picked up some new food for you guys to try. Why don't you take these and we'll get the TV started up tomorrow?"

"Are you sure?" Even as he spoke, Rhys was eyeing the bento hungrily.

Another smile. "I'm sure. I think you'll all enjoy it more after some food and a good night's sleep." She put the boxes in his hands, then turned him around and aimed him towards the portal. "Now scoot: I'll see you guys tomorrow."

Just before he was about to pass through, Rhys paused. "Dame Emerald? About yesterday... "

She held up a hand. "Not the time. We'll talk more about it later, okay?"

He nodded, reluctantly. While he had grown used to Princess Ava making promises that never seemed to pay off, he knew Dame Emerald would not leave him waiting forever. Assured, he took the food offerings through the portal to the others.

As soon as he'd gone through, Emerald went over and set a bento box outside Ava's door. After a quick text, she turned back to the TV. Behind her, the sound of the door opening and crinkling plastic reached her ears. After a few seconds, a soft _"Thanks, Em,"_ came to her ears, followed by the door squeaking shut.

No sooner had it closed completely, Leif phased down right next to the veteran. "So, this thing stumped even Rhys. Hmm... " He hummed as he picked up the remote and studied it closely.

"There's no point in playing around with that right now." She deftly took it from his hands. "I think Rhys killed the batteries clicking it all day, so I'll have to replace them before it'll work again." She gave him a closer look. "Why are you out here right now, anyway?"

"I was watching Rhys try to figure this thing out, but it looks like it completely stumped him. I thought maybe an unconventional approach would be better." He grinned as he pointed at the TV. "Also, it would really _stick it_ to those snobs that were raised in the kingdom!"

Emerald sighed as she took the receiver out of her shopping bag. "If you were thinking about just hitting it until something happens, I'm afraid that only would have broken it. It's not as fragile as the computer, but you still need to be a little bit gentle."

Leif went around the back of the TV while the veteran began plugging in the receiver on top. "Oh! Hey, I think I know how this goes! I've seen Princess Ava do this plenty of times with her phone." He bent down and inserted the plug into the outlet. "Oh, I actually did it. Cool!"

Emerald let out a small, disbelieving laugh as she attached the last few wires. "You mean none of you made sure it was plugged in first? That's like, the first step in seeing if something works! Then again, I guess you guys wouldn't have known that, seeing as you've all chosen magic instead of technology in your society... "

He ignored her, circling around to the front again. "Nothing's happening."

"I told you: I need to fix the remote." She picked it up, deftly popping off the back and ejecting the old batteries. She slid the new ones in, then set it down on the table.

"Wait, you're not going to turn it on?"

"No. I promised Rhys we'd turn it on tomorrow. For now, I suggest you join the others back in the portal if you want a chance to try the bento before they eat it all." She picked up her own food from the kitchen counter, patting Johnny Cat on the head as she passed by on the way to her room. "Go to bed, Leif." She closed the door to her own room, leaving the former assassin alone in the living room.

Leif continued to ignore her, picking the remote up off the table where she'd left it. He pointed it experimentally at the TV. "Maybe this will... " He gave a barely-noticeably jump when the TV sprang to life. "I-it worked?! Ha! Leif has brain after all!"

_"Hey, you!"_

"Huh?" The former assassin froze, startled by the voice that seemed to be addressing him directly from the TV.

_"Yeah, I'm talking to you, nerd! You wanna get the girl of your dreams?!"_

"Of course I wanna steal the princess from Asch. I don't feel the current Royal Family of Daemos deserves to be in power, and if I can do anything to usurp power while keeping respect, then I'd like to - "

The sleeveless man with the washboard abs on the screen pointed directly at him. _"Then you need to watch this episode of 'A Jerk's Guide to Gettin' the Woman of Your Dreams'!"_

"Huh. Alright then! You know what? If this helps me, then sure: I'm for it."

_"Lesson One: The Kitchen and the Girl... "_

* * *

"Huh?" Ava groaned as she opened her eyes, sniffing the air. "What's that smell?" She sat up, stunned to see a full breakfast laid out on a tray resting on her bed. A glass of milk, pancakes with butter and syrup, even the pot of flowers Noi had given her a few days ago: everything was presented beautifully.

"W-what's this?"

"Like it?"

"Huh?" She turned towards the sound of the voice.

"I made it for you," Leif purred, standing nearby in an ill-fitting suit. He gave her a suave grin, one which was nothing at all like the toothy, fang-filled one he'd tried that first day in the apartment.

"Y-you what?!" Ava was horrified to feel how brightly she was blushing. "Why would you do that?!"

"Because I love you," he answered smoothly.

"Waitwaitwaitwaitwaitwaitwait: _what?!"_ She made a series of blubbering noises before finally blurting out "No!"

"Yes."

"No!"

"Yes."

_"NO!"_

"Why is it hard to accept my love?" Surprisingly, Leif didn't seem frustrated at Ava's repeated refusals.

"Because I can't accept anything! A-and breakfast in bed is moving too fast, how did you even make this without Em finding out?! And... where did you get that suit?!" If possible, she blushed even redder. "It's _stupidly_ way too tight for you!"

"Oh yeah, I guess it is." He reached up and casually ripped both sleeves off, making Ava almost choke. "Now, Ava..." He leaned in close, lowering his voice to a whisper. _"... let's talk about our feelings."_

* * *

Out in the living room, the other Daemos were looking around in confusion. "Has anyone seen Leif?" Rhys asked, pausing as he noticed something in the other room.

The other Daemos all shook their heads, Asch responding with a flat "No."

"Why is the kitchen a wreck?!" The spectacled Daemos grew more concerned as he studied the mess. _'Those look like the ingredients Dame Emerald used the other day to make pancakes. Did something happen while she was cooking?'_

Before he could muse on it further, they all heard Ava give a short scream from behind her bedroom door.

"Leif!" Pierce shouted, spurning the others into action. As they ran towards Ava's door, Rhys noticed Emerald running at them from her bathroom. It seemed she'd just gotten out of the shower, as she had a towel wrapped around her torso, wet hair flying freely behind her.

All of them burst into the room, the veteran leading the way, but skidded to a halt once they took in the scene before them. Leif was standing there, feeding Ava pancakes from a tray resting on her bed. As they watched, one piece slipped off the fork and landed in her lap.

"You dropped a pancake on me!" the shorter woman laughed, picking it up and popping it into her mouth.

"Wh... what is going on?!" Asch seemed absolutely gob-smacked.

"Oh, Leif and I were just talking about our feelings!"

Leif sighed. "Yeah, but then I couldn't take it anymore so I decided to shut her up with pancakes."

Ava's face fell. "Oh... I thought you were just being nice."

"Uh, yes. That."

"Princess Ava... is actually talking to you... and not running from you?" Rhys seemed to find the situation amusing.

"Yes. I figured out how to win the affections of the human female."

At his words, Emerald couldn't contain the bark of laughter that escaped her. "Well, I wouldn't go _that_ far quite yet." At his expression, she laughed again. "You've picked up some pretty good tips, I'll admit that, but there's no one formula that'll work for every single woman you encounter."

Leif glared at her. "Well, it worked for the one that matters, so who cares?"

The veteran looked like she was contemplating whether it was worth it to argue with him or not, seeming to decide on the latter. With a shake of her head, she turned and left the room, pausing to take in the mess in the kitchen before going back to her bathroom.

Ava turned to Leif. "I was actually gonna ask you about that. You came in here not wanting to kill me for once... so I let my guard down. What happened?"

"I'll show you."

* * *

Leif led them to the TV, turning it on with the appearance of a seasoned pro. "Check it out."

_"Welcome back, jerks!"_ Apparently, another episode of the show was on already. _"The next thing we're gonna teach you is how to put a woman right where she belongs - "_

Ava glared at the TV. "Oh _hell_ no, I - "

_" - right in your arms as you gaze at her lovingly with the mutual respect you two have for each other as human beings, because she belongs in your heart. Oh yeah, dig it!"_

"Wait, that wasn't I was - "

_"Next you're gonna stab her!"_

"Oh my _God,_ I can't believe - "

_" - metaphorically with love and affection! Make sure you listen to her wants and needs as it's a great way to build a healthy relationship!"_

Leif was practically puffed up with pride. "See? This human really speaks to me. And it _worked!"_

"Interesting." Rhys seemed curious.

Noi laughed happily. "I wanna learn!"

"Me as well," Pierce added.

"You know what? Whatever helps them learn proper manners... " Ava turned away, but then noticed Emerald was in the kitchen cleaning up the mess Leif had left. It looked like she'd gone back to the bathroom at some point: she was now dressed, although her hair was still wet and hanging loosely against her back. She paused for a moment, then sighed and headed over to help. "What can I do?"

The veteran looked over at her, then nodded towards the boxes on the island. "If you want to get those put away, I can wipe down the counter once they're out of the way." She got the dirty pan off the stove, placing it in the sink before grabbing the sponge.

"I was thinking... it looks like letting the guys watch TV to learn manners is working really well so far." She put the cereal box back in the pantry. "Might as well let them learn from it and save ourselves some time."

Emerald shook her head immediately. "You know how they take everything literally: if we're not there to help them understand what they're seeing, they might get some... weird ideas about how society works on Earth." She started scrubbing the island countertop. "It's like raising kids: you can't just plop them down in front of a screen and expect them to learn everything they need to know about being a proper citizen."

"Well then, it's a good thing you don't have any work to do right now, huh?" At the veteran's incredulous look, Ava scoffed. "Oh, come on. It's not like you're doing anything else, right? Besides, I'm supposed to be looking for a job, remember? How am I supposed to focus on that if I'm being distracted by all their questions?"

Emerald sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose again. "_If_ I agree to do this... you have to promise me you'll _actually_ look for a job, not just sleep and hide from everybody in your room. Okay?"

Ava grinned, giving her a small hug. "See, this is why you're the responsible one! You're so good at this 'adult' thing. Bye!" Before the taller woman could say anything, she retreated back into her room and shut the door again.

The veteran made short work of the rest of the clean-up, then grabbed her cup of tea and joined the Daemos in the living room. They had all settled down to sit on the furniture, thoroughly entranced by the man on the show.

_"Also remember about the kitchen and your girl! Always make sure you have food in it for her, especially the things she really likes! Breakfast in the morning is always a great conversation starter!"_

She passed around behind them, taking a seat on the arm of the couch next to Rhys. Noi was seated in the armchair nearby, eyes aglow in wonder at the TV. They both acknowledged her with a quick nod before turning back to the screen. _'Okay,'_ she thought, taking a sip of her tea. _'Let's see how accurate these "tips" Leif picked up really are...'_


	20. Chapter 19 - Like Raising Real Children

_This is a work of fanfiction. All characters (except Emerald) belong to Aphmau / Jessica Bravura._

_Cover Art belongs to Aphmau / Jessica Bravura._

_Please don't sue me._

* * *

_Hey Ava! I was wondering if you and Em wanted to go to the Fall Festival coming up next week? Maybe invite some of your hunks too! ;) Just wanted to invite you, a few friends from high school will be there!_

Ava sat on her bed, staring at the text message she'd just received. "Ugh, Lorelai... " she muttered, glaring at her phone. She was caught off-guard when it beeped again to alert her to a new text.

_You probably are going "ugh" at this message, but you know you secretly want to go. I can tell! It's next Saturday, so if you want to go but don't want to text back, just meet us at the Festival at 2PM! Hope you and Em are doing well!_

"Stupid Lorelai. Why does she keep asking if I wanna hang out?" She paused as a thought suddenly occurred to her. Something in the text messages stood out to her. "Wait... festival?" Ava gasped in shock, rising from her bed and running towards her window. "I just realized - !"

As the short woman stared at the ground below her, the obvious signs of Fall became more and more apparent: browning leaves on trees, people dressed in cute sweaters and cozy jackets, a couple holding hands while carrying what was _very_ obviously pumpkin spiced drinks from the coffee shop.

"It... it's October!" she cried out in delight. She got dressed in record time, then raced from her room and burst into Em's without even bothering to knock. "Em, it's October!" Ava immediately brought herself to a halt as she caught sight of the veteran.

Em was lying on top of the covers of her bed in her running clothes, although it didn't look like she'd actually made it out for a run that morning. She blearily opened her eyes, looking unimpressed at the intrusion. "Uh, yeah. I know. My birthday is October 1st. I thought you already knew what month it was."

Instead of addressing the issue at hand, Ava chose to study her roommate a little closer. There were visible bags under the taller woman's eyes, her expression one of exhaustion. "Are you doing that not sleeping thing again?"

Em groaned. "Not by choice." She sat up on her bed, leaning forward heavily to rest her chin in her hand. "I would _love_ to sleep, but there are other... pressing matters that need my attention."

Ava scoffed. "Are you talking about the guys? All I've seen them doing since we gave them the TV is sit and watch it! In fact, I haven't seen them leave... at all... " She trailed off as she realized the situation. "They've been watching the TV nonstop for _two days?!"_

The veteran nodded. "Just about." She covered a long yawn, blinking slowly once she was done. "I haven't even introduced them to the wonders of other channels yet." She tried sitting up a little straighter. "Did you know Daemos only need about three hours of sleep a night?"

"You know, you _could_ just get some sleep and let them figure stuff out on their own."

A harsh shake of her head. "No way. I already told you: it's like teaching children. We can't just plop them down in front of the TV and expect them to absorb everything perfectly." She let out a breath that might have been a laugh. "They... have a _lot_ of questions."

"Maybe we should try putting some time limits on when they can watch it?" Ava stepped forward, grabbing the veteran gently by the arm and trying to pull her up. "But we can talk about that later. For now, come help me get the apartment properly spookified for Halloween!"

Em let out another breathy chuckle, allowing herself to be moved. "Okay, okay." She stretched, then reached over and grabbed her phone from the bed. "Maybe it'll help me wake up a bit." This was the most animated she'd seen Ava in weeks, and she wasn't going to put a damper on the mood.

"See, that's the spirit! Let's get spooky!"

* * *

It took a bit longer than expected to even get started.

The Halloween decorations hadn't been put away properly, so almost all of them were covered in dust. The two women decided it might go faster if Emerald focused on cleaning them up while Ava decided where to put everything. It would also allow the taller woman to sit down at the counter so she wouldn't be at risk of slipping off the stepladder.

Once the first few tabletop decorations were clean, Ava started setting them up around the apartment. The lights were taking a bit longer than expected, so the two women decided to just hang them up and get them cleaned when they put them away at the end of the season. Plan set, they put their music in and got to work in earnest.

The Daemos were absorbed in the TV again, although it looked like they were watching the local morning news. It seemed to be a safe enough program, so Emerald wasn't too concerned about leaving them unattended for the time being, although she did glance back from time to time to see what was on. It was more of a "talk show" than hard-hitting international news, light-hearted chatter meant to serve as background noise for people getting ready for their morning commute, although it did deliver the weather report amongst all the fluff.

After a while, some of the Daemos began to notice the changes taking place in the apartment. Pierce was first, but Noi quickly followed his gaze and realized something was happening.

"Um, do you guys notice that Ava is acting strange?" the smallest Daemos questioned, looking to the others.

Pierce nodded. "I did. She's been putting odd things up."

"What's wrong with her?" Leif glanced over, not seeming too concerned at the situation.

Asch finally tore his eyes away from the TV, taking in the changes. "Huh? What happened to this place?"

Rhys shushed all of them. "Quiet! The news reporter is telling us his weather predictions again!"

"I think you might be more interested in this," Pierce prodded him gently.

"Huh?" He blinked in bewilderment. "Where did all this other stuff come from?"

Asch frowned. "I want to know that as well."

"Huh. Did you see where it came from, Pierce?" Noi looked to the tallest for guidance.

The Daemos general shook his head. "No. I only turned my attention to her a bit ago."

"Hey! Princess Ava!" Leif called, narrowing his eyes when the short human failed to acknowledge him. "PRINCESS AVA!" he shouted, practically boreing a hole in the back of her head with his glare. When she failed to acknowledge him a second time, his frustration only increased. "AVA!"

Asch chuckled haughtily. "It's obvious Princess Ava does not _respect_ you enough to reply."

**"AAAVVVAAA!"** Despite his ever increasing volume, she didn't even turn her head in the slightest.

"Allow me." The Daemos prince turned confidently towards the smaller woman's back. "Uh, Princess Ava." To his dismay, she continued to ignore all of them. As Leif gave a soft scoff of laughter, Asch felt himself growing frustrated. "Princess Ava?!"

Leif grinned. "Well, looks like she doesn't respect you as - "

_"Prisoner!"_

Noi looked at Pierce in concern. "Wh-wha - what's wrong with Ava?"

"She can't hear."

"What?!"

"No, wait!" Rhys narrowed his eyes as he studied Ava's profile. "I see the issue!"

Asch rolled his eyes, frustrated. "What could _possibly_ be the issue?!"

"Look: in her ears... " All of the Daemos looked closer, finally noticing the small, white pods hidden beneath her hair. "I've seen warnings like this before."

Pierce furrowed his eyebrows. "What does it mean?"

"Ava is infected with 'the wealth'. A sign of that is those pods of air."

"Wh-what?! How do you know this?" Noi stared at Rhys in open awe.

"I had seen something like it before Emerald forbid me to use the computer anymore." At his own mention of the veteran, the spectacled Daemos looked over the back of the couch into the rest of the apartment. He seemed visibly relieved to see her sitting at the counter, although it was short-lived. _'Why has she not rejoined us to watch the TV yet?'_

"So all we have to do is get those things out of her ears. Simple." Leif reached forward to grab the TV remote. As he turned to see what was happening, Rhys's eyes went wide with horror as the former assassin swiftly chucked it right at the short woman on the ladder.

To everyone's surprise, Asch phased in front of the projectile, catching it easily.

"What the - ?!" Leif's mouth dropped open in shock.

"We don't throw things at a princess," the Daemos prince scolded.

"When did you learn my trick?!"

"Well, I used magic."

"Prince Asch!" Rhys was _not_ happy about Asch's use of magic.

"Oh." Leif snickered. "So you can't _naturally_ do it."

Asch waved him off. "I'm sure I could if I wanted to. Besides, I'm sure you use magic to do your trick."

The former assassin replied with tsk-tsking noises, shaking his head.

"Why did you stop the remote?" Rhys decided to cut in before a physical fight broke out between the two.

"The mentor in the TV told us to gain Ava's affections. We need not to throw things at her."

"Oh yeah, I forgot about that." Leif responded flatly.

"Your simple mind will only be your downfall in winning Ava's affections."

"Did... did Asch get smart from the TV?" Noi's eyes went wide with wonder.

Rhys let out a disbelieving chuckle. "I'm impressed."

Asch grinned confidently. "I learned a lot from the TV." As he moved his feet to a more commanding pose, his back foot nudged the edge of the ladder Ava stood on. The sudden shift was enough to send her flying off her perch, straight towards the floor -

\- only to be caught by Pierce, who had moved faster than anyone could see. For a moment, it almost appeared he had moved so fast, his black under-armor had come off, leaving his bare chest exposed.

"Oh my God, what the _heck?!"_ Ava stared up at her savior in confusion, although she did appear grateful she hadn't hurt herself.

"Are you all right, Princess Ava?!" Rhys stood quickly, followed by Noi and Leif.

She nodded her head as she stood, turning to face the group. "Yeah, I'm fine." She gave the Daemos general a small grin. "Thanks, Pierce."

"Yes," he answered simply.

"Why did you bump my ladder?!" Ava glared at Asch.

"I-I-I-I-I-I _didn't!_ I - "

"If you want my attention, just come _talk_ to me, _don't_ try to kill me!"

"I wasn't: Leif was!"

"Just because Leif likes to kill doesn't mean you can pin this on him. I saw you next to the ladder, Asch!"

"No, Leif was!"

_"L-L-L-L-Leif was!"_ the former assassin mocked, grinning at how flustered the Daemos prince was at the accusation.

"Shut up before I kill you!" Asch growled, taking a few steps forward.

Ava sighed. "Asch, you need to learn some manners." She looked down at her clothes, noticing the large swath of dust across the front of her hoodie. "Be right back: I need to dust off."

No sooner had she left, the arguing began.

"Wow Asch, that was _very_ inconsiderate of you," Leif baited the Daemos prince, suppressing a grin.

"You're _dead!"_ Asch roared, summoning a fireball in his right hand which the former assassin dodged easily before phasing away. Once Leif had left, he turned to his remaining knights. "Why didn't you guys back me up?!"

Rhys cocked an eyebrow at him. "You do realize we're _all_ after Ava's affections."

"You _do_ realize _I'm_ the Prince of Daemos!" he shot back.

"Are we _on_ Daemos?"

"I - um... "

"We talked about this before. Ava's free game for all of us." Noi cut in patiently.

Pierce nodded. "We still respect you, and will serve you dilligently - "

" - but the thought of becoming _the_ King of the Earth is rather interesting." Despite his words, there was something troubled behind Rhys's response.

"Besides, it's a fun competition, don't ya think?" Leif phased in just long enough to deliver the quip, swiftly vanishing again as Asch launched another fireball at him.

_"Damn it!"_

"_What_ did you just say?!"

All the Daemos turned in unison to face the source of the voice. Emerald was standing next to the counter, headphones wrapped around the back of her neck as she glared at them. For some reason, her expression made them all feel like children being scolded by a parent. Her glasses weren't on her face, instead resting on the kitchen counter where she'd been working on cleaning the decorations.

Asch could almost feel himself physically withering under her stare. "Uh, I said... um... 'damn it'."

"_Where_ did you learn that language from?"

Rhys looked at her in confusion. "You and Princess Ava say it all the time, Dame Emerald."

"Oh. Uh... right." To her credit, the veteran looked a bit guilty.

"We also heard it on the TV!" Noi added helpfully. "Along with f- "

"Forget about that one right now!" Ava interrupted hastily, coming out of her room. "From the sound of things, I think we need to invest in a new Swear Jar pretty soon." She nudged her roommate lightly in the ribs. "Isn't that right, Em?"

Before the taller woman could reply, Asch cut in. "Enough! Explain to us what you're doing to your home."

Both women stared at the Daemos in confusion.

"I'm rather fascinated as well," Rhys added.

"Same!" Noi let out a happy laugh. "I'm really curious about these interesting objects!"

"Oh! Wow, I guess we should tell you guys, but it's October! Which means Halloween is coming!" Ava was almost bouncing with excitement.

"Hall-o-ween?" Pierce tripped a bit over the new word.

"Yup. It's a holiday, and it's also when I feel most like myself."

Rhys looked confused. "What does _that_ mean?"

"Like... I dunno, I guess I feel more energy from the season and it's just really getting into me and making me feel stronger, you know?"

"S-so... it's a _ritual_ to give you more power!" Noi seemed so pleased with his assessment.

"Wait! _Oh, God... "_ Emerald murmured under her breath, shooting a tiny glare at Ava.

Leif rose up from behind the couch. "_Now_ we're talkin'!"

Rhys nodded. "I'd love to know more."

"I forget you guys take everything _literally,"_ Ava muttered, but shook it off quickly. "Look, October is just the month that gets spooky, and it's fun, and I normally spend it inside by myself but, I mean, this year I have you guys and Em, which means... "

"What's she doing?" Leif asked to no one in particular as Ava trailed off, looking down at the floor.

"N-nothing. Just, um... look!" The shorter woman pointed to the banner she'd been hanging before her fall. "See? These are Halloween decorations. They're meant to be fun and just enjoy."

Noi grinned happily. "They look delicious!"

"Can we eat them?!" Rhys looked between the two women for permission to try one of the (what he perceived to be) treats.

"Absolutely not!" Emerald interrupted, a disgusted look on her face. "For one thing, they weren't put away properly, so they're _covered_ in dust."

"They do not taste like the popping corn," Asch mumbled out, already chewing on one of the jack-o-lantern bulbs.

"No," Pierce agreed, also mouthing a decoration.

Ava gasped in horror. "My lights!" She immediately began pulling on the other end. "Let go!"

Emerald held out a hand. "Wait, Ava! Don't - " She was cut off as electricity suddenly surged through the string of lights, smoking and glowing brightly. The veteran didn't waste any time, rushing over to the outlet and smacking the plug out of the socket before yanking the cord out of everyone's grasp.

"W-what the f - "

"Language, Ava." Emerald was immediately at the shorter woman's side, checking her over for any injuries. The _last_ thing she needed was an interrogation from Andrew and Devon over how their baby girl ended up in the hospital for electrocution.

A quick glance assured her the shorter woman was unharmed. Asch and Pierce appeared uninjured as well, although all of them looked a bit dirty from the dust that hadn't been cleaned off the lights. Without saying a word, the veteran pointed at the two Daemos, then the couch.

They went over to sit without a peep, looking properly mollified.

"What happened?" Rhys asked in soft shock.

"They all almost got electrocuted," Emerald sighed, rubbing a hand tiredly over her face. She pointed at the nearby outlet in the wall. "You guys see those sockets? You should never touch one of those or stick anything in them, unless it's a plug. Even then, you should ask me or Ava for help before trying it yourselves, okay?" She narrowed her eyes. "And definitely don't go around _biting_ anything attached to them!"

"It'll release a surge of energy that can hurt or even _kill_ you," Ava added helpfully.

She glared at the shorter woman. "You also shouldn't _pull_ on the cord like that, especially if it's in _someone's mouth!"_ Emerald sighed again. "You're lucky you didn't get anything more than a little zap and some mussed-up clothes."

Rhys still looked confused. "But... what exactly _is_ electricity?"

Emerald thought for a moment. "You know what? It's easier if I just show you." She approached him slowly, rubbing her socked feet on the carpet as she came closer. When she was about a foot away, the veteran reached out and touched his hand.

The spectacled Daemos leapt back as the static electricity shocked him. "Wha-what was that?!"

Noi's eyes widened. "Was that... magic?!"

Emerald shook her head. "No. It was static electricity, a weaker form of electricity that forms when there's an imbalance of electrons between atoms." At the confused look from all of the Daemos, she stopped and sighed. "Maybe I can find a science show for you guys to watch later that can explain it better... "

Ava wasn't paying attention, instead staring sadly at the shorted-out light string. "Now my lights are broken and I'll have to get new ones."

Rhys perked up immediately. "You're actually going out!"

"Yeah. I _love_ to decorate for the holidays! I've never had any of my decorations _break,_ until now... "

At the prospect of leaving the apartment, all the Daemos immediately leapt to their feet, begging the women to take them along.

Ava shook her head adamantly. "Nu-uh! If _any_ of you are going with me, it's going to be one of you. So choose amongst yourselves wisely."

"I can come," Emerald offered, coming back to stand at her side.

The shorter woman shook her head again. "No way, Em. You are going to go to your room and getting some _actual_ rest today. You're barely keeping it together as it is!" To demonstrate, she poked the taller woman in the shoulder, actually knocking her slightly off-balance before she steadied herself.

"Are you sure?" Even though the veteran didn't look too thrilled about the idea of letting Ava go out alone with one of the Daemos, she was equally concerned about what might happen to the apartment if they left them unsupervised with all the new decorations out.

"I'm positive." Ava turned the taller woman around, gently nudging her towards her room. "You go lie down: I'll take care of this." She looked down at her own clothes and sighed in frustration. "As soon as I go _clean up._ Again... "

As soon as the doors to both women's bedrooms were closed, the Daemos turned to face each other. "Well, I suppose we're going to talk about this," Rhys began hopefully.

"More like _argue_ \- " Asch began, but was almost immediately cut off by Ava's voice through the door.

"And I better _not_ hear any arguing!"

The Daemos prince let out a frustrated groan. "Fine! Then there's only one way to settle this... "

"A peaceful debate, I assume?" Rhys cut in, already knowing what the answer most likely was.

"Something like that... "

* * *

Luckily, it didn't take Ava much time to get herself dusted off again. As she walked towards the door, she was relieved to notice she couldn't hear any noise from the living room. _'Looks like they can be civil after all,'_ she thought, allowing a little grin to appear on her face as she opened the door -

\- only to see four of the five Daemos engaged in near-silent combat. Pierce and Leif were facing off, the Daemos general seeming to have the former assassin at a disadvantage. Asch had Noi in a headlock, periodically punching him in the face. Rhys simply stood among the chaos, holding a hand to his head in silent resignation.

All of the fighting stopped as they noticed her staring at them flatly, Asch releasing Noi bodily on the floor. _"Seriously?"_ she sighed.

"To be fair, the rule you said before was... they couldn't fight... _loudly."_ Rhys seemed just as disappointed as she felt.

"The _hope_ is that no one would fight at all."

Asch looked at her pleadingly. "I'm going with you to the - "

"No, me!" Noi interrupted, glaring at the Daemos prince.

"Stop! We're going to settle this like adults." Ava pointed at each Daemos in turn. "Eeny, meeny, miny, moe... "

"Uh, what is she doing?" Asch stared at her in confusion as she continued the rhyme.

"Pointing at us?" Leif offered up.

Pierce looked concerned. "She speaks in tongues... "

"I like her tongue," Noi laughed happily, although the smile quickly dropped from his face as the other Daemos glared at him murderously. "I-I-I-I-I mean to _caress,_ is all!" he stuttered out, blushing furiously as nervous giggles bubbled past his lips.

"She's casting a spell," Rhys murmured, studying the 'ritual' closely.

" - and you will be... it." Ava stopped the rhyme, her arm pointing straight ahead. "Leif? Looks like you're coming. Get your human clothes on."

"Wh - _Me?!"_ He laughed happily as he phased away. "Yes!"

"Hey! That's not fair!" Noi shouted, glaring.

Asch nodded, glaring as well. "For once, I agree with Noi!"

Ava had her reply ready to go. "Look, I used a spell of 'picking'. If I don't listen to it, I'll die."

"Ready!" Leif announced as he phased back, fully dressed in his human outfit.

"Let's go." Ava led the way, the former assassin following closely behind. Neither of them noticed the death glares the other four Daemos were shooting at Leif's back.

* * *

Emerald groaned as she opened her eyes. She was lying on her bed, having changed back into her pajamas for the day. She'd been _hoping_ to grab a quick nap, but from the sound of the Daemos arguing, it seemed she'd have to go out sooner rather than later.

She let out another groan, frustrated at being interrupted yet again. Still, she knew there'd only be a bigger mess to take care of later if she didn't intervene now, so the veteran pulled herself up and stumbled out into the main living area.

As expected, the four remaining Daemos were standing in a half-circle, grumbling loudly to each other. From what she could see, Emerald was surprised that Ava had chosen to take Leif out on the excursion. Shaking her head, she approached the group. "I take it you're all a bit salty about Ava's choice?"

"It's not fair," Noi grumbled, trying not to look like he was pouting and failing miserably.

"How did she decide, anyway?"

"She used a 'spell of picking', which she said would kill her if she didn't abide by its decision." Rhys was trying to be helpful, but couldn't hide his own disappointment.

Emerald sighed. "How about we go see if I can find something new for you guys to watch?"

Pierce tilted his head in confusion. "Are you certain?"

She nodded. "There's something I've been meaning to teach you guys, anyway. Now seems as good a time as any to show you actually have a choice in what you can watch."

"What do you mean?" Rhys was suddenly very close, his eyes wide with curiosity.

Emerald almost lost her balance as she instinctively took a step back, but was stopped by a hand against her back. She looked, surprised to see it was Noi who had stopped her. She gave him a small grin of thanks, then motioned for the Daemos to follow her. "C'mon, let's see if we can find something that interests you guys... and _doesn't_ involve any more questionable language."

The Daemos quickly settled back into their earlier positions, Emerald taking Leif's previous spot between Asch and Rhys. She looked around. "Where's the remote?"

"Oh, uh, here." Asch held it out to her, forgetting he had been holding onto it this entire time.

"Thank you, Asch." She turned on the TV, then began flipping through the channels at a pace almost too quick for others to keep up with.

"How many other 'cha-nells' are there?" Rhys asked, wonder in his voice.

"With the receiver? About twenty or so." She stopped as she came to PBS, happy to see an old episode of _Bill Nye the Science Guy_ was just about to start. "Hey, look at that: a science show." She put the remote down on the coffee table, settling back and trying to mentally prepare herself for the avalanche of questions which were sure to follow.

Asch stared at her accusingly. "Why did you not tell us about the different 'cha-nells' earlier?"

"Because I didn't want you guys sitting here getting overwhelmed and keeping me awake forever with more questions," she shot back, trying to keep the frustration out of her voice. "I'm pretty sure at this point y'all need a lot less sleep than humans do, and I can't keep staying up so late." As if to demonstrate her point, she covered up a huge, almost violent yawn.

"Do you wish for me to help you sleep?" Pierce looked at her with understanding.

Emerald shook her head adamantly. "Absolutely not." She gave him a tired smile. "Look, I know you're just trying to help, but whatever Sleepy-Time Spell you've been using gives me absolutely _terrible_ nightmares." She rested against the back of the couch. "Why don't y'all just watch the show and learn about some Earth science? I'll be right here, so let me know if there's something you don't understand." A pause. "And don't try eating any more of the decorations."

* * *

"So, what's the deal with Emerald?"

"Huh?" Ava looked back at Leif, who was following closely behind her through the aisles. They had obtained the new lights, but she had decided to pick up some Sleepy-Time tea for her roommate. Sometimes, when she stayed up too late, Em had trouble getting to sleep at all.

"Why does she stay with you? I mean, if she's supposed to be a guard, she does a really bad job of making sure you're protected."

"Oh, that." The shorter woman paused as she looked over the teas, trying to decide how much she should tell him. "I only know bits and pieces. We used to hang out a bit when we were younger, but only because her parents worked for my dads and sometimes she had to watch me while they were all busy."

"So... she's always been your guard?"

"No, nothing like that." Ava finally found what she was looking for, grabbing it and heading towards the checkouts. "Once she graduated high school, she joined the Air Force and was gone for a couple of years. Then... _something_ happened while she was deployed." The shorter woman paused, looking thoughtful as they waited in line. "Em's never told me exactly what it was, but I think she got hurt pretty badly. They let her out of the military, so she moved back into that apartment to help out her parents."

"Where are they now?"

"I'm... not sure." Ava frowned. "They've never been in the apartment since I moved in, and Em doesn't talk about them." She shook her head, giving him a small grin as she put the items on the counter. "But I'm sure everything's fine. Now, let's get these paid for and get back before the other guys start bugging Em with more questions."

* * *

Rhys was worried.

Granted, he found the new "science" show Emerald had put on for them absolutely fascinating. There were so many things he didn't fully understand, but he realized this "Science Guy" was doing a fairly good job of explaining the concepts. Indeed, Noi and Asch seemed completely absorbed in the information being presented.

No, what had him worried was Emerald's behavior while they watched the TV. She kept nodding off, her head falling back against the couch and fully exposing her throat to the Daemos before she jerked herself awake. If Leif had been with them, the spectacled Daemos wasn't sure if he'd've been able to prevent the former assassin from killing her outright.

Standing in his previous position between the couch and the armchair, Pierce seemed just as concerned. It was fortunate Asch was so absorbed in the TV, or else he might have taken advantage of her position as well.

_"She is going to hurt herself,"_ the former general whispered, leaning in close so no one else could hear.

Rhys nodded. _"Indeed. But you heard her: she has specifically requested we don't assist her with sleeping."_

_"There must be something we can do."_

The spectacled Daemos thought for a moment. It was hard, as the TV was presenting him a veritable treasure trove of information about Earth, but he eventually came up with a plan. Slowly, so as not to startle her, Rhys reached over and gently began patting the top of her head.

Despite his precautions, Emerald still jumped a little. "Rhys?" she murmured tiredly. "What're you doing?"

_"I know I'm not as talented as Pierce or Leif at giving massages, but I would still like to help you get some rest... without the use of magic."_ He handed her one of the pillows from the couch. _"Why don't you lie down? I'm sure it'll be more comfortable than leaning back like that."_

The veteran looked like she was about to argue, but changed her mind after a few seconds. She carefully folded her body to fit in between Rhys and Asch on the couch, tucking her legs underneath her. She placed the pillow on the former's lap and slowly laid down, mindful of where her hands and feet were as she rested her head on the cushion.

Rhys felt a smile tug at the corner of his lips as he continued to stroke her hair, amazed at how soft it felt. After a few minutes, he risked a glance down to study her face, satisfied to see she appeared to be asleep.

He had to admit: this felt nice. If courting Ava would result in scenarios like this, the spectacled Daemos was positive he would enjoy the process. Still, the princess had not been making this easy on any of them. He was almost 100% sure she was using Emerald as a distraction to keep herself from getting too close to any of them.

If they were to have any luck courting their _real_ target, the taller woman would have to believe they genuinely meant no harm and could be trusted alone with her charge. To that end, it might help their cause more if she believed they were willing to properly court her as well.

_'But we'll have to be careful,'_ Rhys thought, resting his hand against her forehead to make sure she wasn't getting sick again._'She is very clever. If the conversation we had a few nights ago is any indication, she may already suspect the _real _reason we're here.'_

He frowned at the idea. If, as it turned out, Emerald figured out their _true_ plan for Earth...

... she would have to be neutralized.


	21. Chapter 20 - Adventures in Babysitting

_This is a work of fanfiction. All characters (except Emerald) belong to Aphmau / Jessica Bravura._

_Cover Art belongs to Aphmau / Jessica Bravura._

_Please don't sue me._

* * *

Knocking.

Incessant knocking.

It echoed throughout the apartment, only growing more annoying as it continued at random intervals. Just when it seemed maybe the person on the other side had given up, another series of knocks would echo around the space.

Asch frowned as he sat alone in front of the TV, letting out an annoyed grunt. The other Daemos had their own duties to attend to on the other side of the portal, but Asch found himself unable to concentrate. Instead, he had decided to take on the challenge both the princess and the guardian had presented: learn some human manners.

Granted, he hadn't known where to begin, so he'd asked the guardian that morning what she would suggest. She'd told him about a mystical sage known only as "Socky the Sock Puppet" and his fantastical adventures through the world of common courtesy. The Daemos prince didn't understand _exactly_ what she was talking about, but the show so far had been fairly interesting...

...which was exactly why he was so frustrated it kept being interrupted by the knocking.

Eventually, Asch's patience snapped. He turned off the TV as angrily as he could, just in case anyone was watching so they would know _precisely_ how displeased he was. He marched straight into the princess's room, not even bothering to knock as he threw open the door. "PRISONER!"

Ava sat up, staring at him blearily. "Wha...?"

"Are you _not_ going to answer the door?!"

"Someone's... knocking at the door?"

"Yes! They've been knocking at the door." He stared at her expectantly.

"You know... you could just ignore it, right?"

"The knocking is ruining 'The Adventures of Socky the Sock Puppet'!"

"Oh no, I'm _sorry_ you - " Ava cut herself off as his words registered with her half-asleep brain. "Wait... you're watching 'Socky the Sock Puppet'?"

"Yes!"

"You... actually like that show?"

"Yes, I do, and I'm trying to find out what's going to happen next!"

"What... episode is it?"

"The one where Socky has to help get a cat out of the tree!" Asch's face lit up unexpectedly. "I'm hoping he does it with fire."

"Why do you hope that?" Now Ava was concerned on a number of levels.

"_Because_ Socky went to the Fire De-art-ment!"

"That's not... " The shorter woman trailed off, giggling quietly.

_"What?!"_

"I just think it's cute you like Socky."

"He's a _very_ relatable human, okay?! Besides, it wasn't my idea." Asch crossed his arms, looking away as if pouting. "Your guardian Emerald said it could help me learn how to act around humans."

"Socky... is a _sock_... "

"Answer the door!" he shouted, any earlier calmness evaporating.

"Look, if it's someone I care about, they'll just text me. And I haven't gotten a text yet, so... " She flopped down on her side, pointedly ignoring him. "... goodnight!"

As another series of knocks echoed out, Asch glared at her coldly. "Fine! If _you_ won't answer the door, then I'll just get your guardian to do her job _properly!"_ He turned and stalked towards the front, slamming Ava's bedroom door shut behind him.

However, as he came to the hallway junction, the Daemos prince caught movement from the corner of his eye by the front door. Turning, he saw Emerald standing at the open door, kneeling down and talking quietly.

_'Oh, of course now she decides to fulfill her duty!'_ Asch thought furiously, marching right up to her without breaking stride as he summoned a fireball in his left hand. "Prisoner! Why did you take so long to perform your tasks?!"

The tiny human Emerald had been talking to let out an ear-piercing shriek of terror, bolting away and heading straight towards the elevator. It frantically mashed on the call button, barely pausing for breath in its screams.

The guardian shot up, moving in front of the door to block him as she turned around. To his surprise, she didn't even flinch. _"Put that away right now!"_ she whispered furiously, meeting his glare unblinkingly.

"Or what?!" he shot back, bringing the fire closer to her face.

_"Or else I'll personally summon the nine-hundred and eleven knights to deal with you."_

He hesitated, refusing to believe she had that kind of authority. "You... you wouldn't dare. Only Ava and her parents have the power to command so many warriors."

Shockingly, she leaned in closer to his face. _"You really want to test that?"_

"I - "

"Asch?! What did you _do?!"_ Ava called out, running up behind him. He quickly extinguished the fireball, recalling what Rhys had said about convincing the princess they could exist on "friendly" terms with Emerald.

Before he could answer, the guardian spoke up. "His _Majesty_ Asch here just scared the living sh - ... stuffings... out of Marlene."

"You should have answered the door, then!" Asch shot back, glaring at her. From behind the woman, he saw the tiny human run past, headed towards the staircase. "Maybe this will teach you not to neglect your duties next time!"

Emerald looked like she wanted to say something, but the princess was faster. "Just go back to your show, and _don't_ answer the door ever again!"

He scoffed in triumph, turning around and walking back towards the TV. As he rounded the corner, he heard Emerald tell Ava "You get dressed. I'll go after Marlene and smooth everything out.".

* * *

Emerald dashed out the door, following the tippy-tap of Marlene's feet as she booked it up the staircase. _'How the hell is she so fast in that dress?!'_ she thought in annoyance, taking the steps two at a time to catch up to the child.

As she arrived on the 4th floor, the veteran saw the door to Mrs. Oates's apartment was standing wide open. From inside, Emerald heard a high-pitched voice declare "Grandma! There was a scary demon man at Ava's door!"

_'Great... just what I needed to deal with today,'_ she sighed, already putting together a story in her head to explain what the little girl saw. As she rounded the corner, she hurried forward to join the child in front of Mrs. Oates. "Marlene! I am _so_ sorry! I - "

"Oh, Emmy!" the elder woman cooed out, smiling in greeting. "So glad to see you."

"You have a demon in your house!" Marlene declared, staring at the veteran with wide eyes.

"Oh, come now Marlene. Don't fret: I'm sure the man you met was a demon in some _other_ kind of way - "

Emerald gave her a look of horror, images of Asch trying to be romantic floating through her head. She shuddered in disgust.

" - just not in the literal sense," Mrs. Oates finished.

"But I _saw_ it, Grandma! I saw he had horns on his head and he had fire in his hand!"

"Oh Marlene, I believe you." She turned to the veteran. "Emmy, is you 'demon friend' scary?" At her confused look, the elderly woman continued. "Marlene told me what saw and I believe her, but I don't _believe_ that your friend is scary, since you know them so well. Perhaps he was having a _bad morning."_ As she said the last two words, she gave Emerald a subtle wink.

The veteran picked up on the hint immediately. "Oh, yeah he was. He and Ava kind of got into a fight earlier."

"S-so your demon friend _isn't_ going to eat me?"

Emerald let out an easy laugh. "Oh, no. In fact, Ava is a powerful sorceress who keeps him at bay, and _I'm_ the brave warrior protecting her so she can perform her magic. So you don't have to worry: he can't do anything to you without getting past _us_ first."

The little girl let out a relieved sigh. "That's a relief."

"_Well_, Emmy, I didn't realize you were into that kind of thing... "

"Mrs. Oates? Your granddaughter is right here."

"Oh, what's wrong talking about dungeons and d - "

"Dragons!" Marlene interrupted excitedly, turning to Emerald. "That's the game Daddy plays. Mommy calls him a nerd, but she still loves him and plays with him, too." The little girl's eyes went wide as she suddenly seemed to remember something. "Emmy? Grandma has a favor to ask."

"Oh, that's right." Mrs. Oates turned to face the veteran. "Emmy, I was wondering if you and Ava could watch Marlene for me today? You see, I'm watching her this weekend so my son and his wife can have a vacation. We were playing earlier and I accidentally sprained my back, and at my age it takes longer to recover."

"Grandma thought she could pick me up like she used to, but I _told_ her I'm a big girl now!" the little girl added helpfully.

"Oh, please. I picked you up last year fine."

"I grew a _lot!"_

Ignoring the outburst, Mrs. Oates turned back to the veteran. "Emmy, Ava's babysat Marlene before. Do you think you could ask her if she's free to do so today? I'll pay you two a hefty sum for watching her until tonight."

"I'm sure she wouldn't mind, but are _you_ sure? About the payment thing, I mean. You really don't have to do that, you know."

"Oh, I insist. After all, you two are performing a service and should be compensated accordingly." Once Emerald nodded, Mrs. Oates turned back to her granddaughter. "Now Marlene, Ava and Emmy have a few _friends_ living with them, so please be nice to them."

"I will, Grandma."

"Yeah, we have... uh... " Emerald trailed off as realized Ava and the Daemos had absolutely _no_ idea what was about to happen.

"Something wrong, Emmy?" Mrs. Oates seemed to have picked up on her discomfort.

"Oh, uh, no. Just realized that it's been a while since I neated up the apartment, that's all. Could you give me about five minutes to get everything put away real quick?"

"Of course. That gives us time to get things for Marlene ready to - " Mrs. Oates cut herself off as she heard her front door slam shut, the veteran already gone. "Oh... well, I guess she has a _lot_ to clean." She let out a knowing chuckle. "Let's get you ready, Marlene."

* * *

Emerald skidded around the corner of her apartment, narrowly avoiding bouncing off the wall as she called out. "Ava! Demons - er, Daemos! All of you, please come here! Emergency Meeting Time!"

Asch leapt up from where he'd been sitting on the couch, giving her a confused look. "Why are you yelling, Prisoner?"

"Hush!" The veteran started collecting the dirty clothes scattered around, tossing them into a basket that's been left near the computer desk. "Just... hush." She noticed Ava coming out of her room from the corner of her eye, but was too focused on trying to get everything cleaned up.

"Dame Emerald, you look rather flustered."

Emerald stopped in her cleaning to see Rhys and the others standing outside the portal, staring at her curiously. Noi furrowed his eyebrows. "Is everything all right?"

"Okay, I'm going to break this down quickly for you all: Ava and I are going to be babysitting."

A casual observer would've thought she'd just announced she set puppies on fire for fun, based on the looks the Daemos were giving her. "Brutal... " Rhys murmured softly.

Leif was grinning devilishly. "Oh _yeah!"_

"I, uh... I thought humans were... "

"Kinder," Pierce finished for Noi.

"_I'd_ like to see this baby get sat on!" Asch looked... disturbingly enthusiastic at the idea.

The former assassin's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Will it explode into guts?!"

"I have to say, after hearing you preach about how humanity is less murderous, I would think that sitting on babies is not something you'd adhere to." For some reason, Rhys looked... disappointed?

"Sweet crispy _Christ,_ I keep forgetting you guys are so literal," Emerald groaned, rubbing the bridge of her nose. "Look, you don't actually sit on a baby when you're babysitting. It's... well, I guess the closest thing I can think of is it's like baby guarding."

Noi appeared thoughtful. "We've never really asked about human babies... where do they come from?"

Ava stared at the smallest Daemos in horrified shock. "Uh... "

"Noi, do you even know where _Daemos_ babies come from?" Rhys cocked one eyebrow questioningly.

He giggled happily. "Nope!"

"As I thought."

Pierce made eye contact with the veteran. "Where do babies come from, Emerald?"

"Look, we can have a discussion comparing breeding methods or whatever later, but we are _not_ having that talk right now. There's something more important we need to deal with first." She took a deep breath. "Look, I need you guys to be on your best behavior because Marlene is coming over, and Ava and I are going to watch her."

Leif looked confused again. "Watch her what?"

"Explode? As you sit on her?" While subdued, Asch still seemed pretty excited about the whole scenario.

"I don't think Emerald or Ava are heavy enough to explode the baby," Noi broke in.

The former assassin glanced around at the other Daemos. "Maybe one of us should help sit on the baby with them?"

"No one is actually physically sitting on a baby!" Emerald glared at him. "How much of a fucking psychopath _are_ you?!"

"Who is Marlene?" Rhys cut in, sensing the veteran was reaching the limits of her patience.

Ava had picked up on it as well. She placed one hand on the woman's arm, gently coming up beside her and taking over. "Marlene is Mrs. Oates's granddaughter."

"The wise sage Mrs. Oates?"

"So Marlene must be someone important," Leif concluded.

Emerald began speaking again, her eyes closed as she tried to calm down. "Marlene is a child and Mrs. Oates is her grandmother. Mrs. Oates needs me and Ava to take care of her for a few hours, sooo what that means is that you guys _need_ to either stay inside your place until she leaves or... you need to be on your _best behavior_ out here."

Rhys turned his head slightly to one side as he mulled over this new information. "Does this mean Marlene is another who is under your protection?"

"If that's how you guys understand it, then sure. Why not."

"Also, you have to put your horns away and put your human clothes on," Ava added, noticing how they were all still just standing around.

Leif began speaking slowly. "So... you _aren't_ sitting on the baby?"

"Just _GO!"_

The Daemos quickly ran back through their portal, Asch bringing up the rear. Just as he was about to go through, Emerald called out to him. "Asch!"

"What?" The Daemos prince turned towards her.

"_You_ need to be in attendance. Marlene already saw you."

_"M-me?!"_

"Just do it," Ava sighed, tapping Emerald on the shoulder as the two women turned away. Once they heard the sound of Asch passing through the portal, the shorter woman turned to the taller. "Hey, are you okay? You seem kind of wound up."

"Gee, ya think?" The veteran reached into her pocket and pulled out a $5. "Can you go put this in the new Swear Jar and meet Marlene at the door for me? I'm gonna finish cleaning up in here."

Ava took the bill. "Is... is there anything bothering you? Aside from the mess in the apartment right now?"

Emerald visibly hesitated before shaking her head. "Not right now, no." She turned back, a light grin firmly plastered on her face. "Why don't I start water for some hot chocolate? Just try to stall Marlene for a few minutes before letting her in, yeah?"

Ava gave a small nod, watching her roommate fly into a flurry of activity as she finished cleaning up the living room. She was about to ask the veteran what was _really_ going on, but was interrupted by knocking. _'That must be Marlene. I guess it'll have to wait until later,'_ she thought, heading towards the front door.

* * *

Emerald met them just as Ava shut the front door. "Hey kiddo, how ya' doing?" she asked, lightly ruffling the child's hair.

Marlene groaned lightly. "Ugh, I'm not a kid, you know!"

"Oh, I do that to _all_ the kids I've babysat. Ask Ava: she can tell you about some of the things we used to do when our parents had to work late."

The child's eyes grew wide. "You knew Ava when _she_ was little?! How old _are_ you?"

"Marlene!" Ava looked mortified.

To her relief, Emerald laughed it off. "Old enough to know _not_ to answer that question with a number." She took the child's candy bucket and placed it safely on the kitchen counter, glancing into the living room. "You ready to meet the 'scary demons'?"

Marlene nodded nervously, immediately hiding behind Ava and clutching the back of her shirt.

The veteran smiled to her roommate. "Well, lead the way."

Ava rolled her eyes and walked out, not pleased to see all five Daemos sitting calmly on the couch. _'Seriously?! They all came?!'_ she groaned mentally. _'Well, at least they're sitting on the couch.'_

At a gently nudge in the side from Emerald, she shook herself back to the present moment. "Oh, that's right! I need to introduce you to my friends." She pointed from left to right. "Marlene, this is Rhys, Leif, Pierce, Noi, and Asch." She glared at them. "Guys, say hi."

"Are you gonna sit on her?" The former assassin still seemed unable to accept the true reality of babysitting.

Before she could answer, Marlene spoke up. "Ava? Are one of these guys your boyfriend?"

"I am," Asch declared confidently.

"Oh, _heck_ no!" the girl declared, stepping out from behind Ava and standing between the two women. She glared at the Daemos prince. "You were the one who scared me before. He _can't_ be your boyfriend, Ava!"

Emerald barely covered the bark of laughter that bubbled up, but did hold her hand down to the child for a high-five which was promptly delivered.

But it didn't stop there. Marlene turned to stare up at her. "Emmy, what about you? Are any of these guys _your_ boyfriend?"

She shook her head. "Not right now." She glanced briefly at Rhys. "They all seem more interested in Ava, anyway. I'm just here to make sure nobody gets hurt in the meantime."

Apparently, this wasn't an answer the little girl wanted to hear. She pushed past both adults and climbed onto the coffee table, planting both hands firmly on her hips. "All right, listen up!"

_"What is she doing?!"_ Emerald whispered furiously to Ava.

_"I have no idea!"_

"Ava has been my babysitter since I was a kid!"

"Aren't you still a kid?" Rhys interrupted, raising an eyebrow.

"No, I'm not! Shut up!" (Emerald barely contained another outburst of laughter at her words.) "Ava deserves the best!"

"I agree," Pierce cut in softly.

Noi's eyes sparkled happily. "Yep! Princess Ava deserves the best!"

"Ooo! I like you two." Her face grew serious again. "But you guys can't ignore Emmy, either! From what I've heard, she is _super_ awesome too and deserves a piece of this action!"

Asch rose from the couch, almost beside himself with indignant confusion. "Where does this tiny human get off thinking _she_ can command us to - "

"I know your secret! You're all _demons!"_

It went deadly silent in the apartment as soon as Marlene uttered those words. Asch even fell back onto the couch as everyone stared at her in open shock.

"M-Marlene?" Ava asked in a tiny voice.

"My grandma told me all about how these boys are looking to be your boyfriend." The child smiled at the older women. "You two deserve the best out of the bunch, so I'm going to help you!"

"Oh my God, you're just as assertive as your grandmother, only tinier... " Emerald murmured softly. "What monster has Mrs. Oates created?"

"The monster of _truth!"_

Ava shook her head in shock. "You grew up too fast! I remember when you were tinier and shy: what happened?!"

"Second grade happened!" She turned back to face the Daemos. "All right, listen up unworthy demons!"

"Hey, she's pretty scary... " Leif suddenly didn't seem so sure of himself anymore.

Rhys chuckled softly. "A worthy opponent."

"We're going to play a game called 'Princesses and Waiters'." Marlene pointed at the Daemos. "You guys are the waiters and Ava, Emmy, and I are the princesses. Whoever can do _all_ the tasks required gets to marry Ava and Emmy."

A chorus of excited exclamations rose up from the couch, ending as Pierce declared _"Finally!"_

"We have been attempting to talk to Princess Ava and Dame Emerald about marriage." Rhys looked sideways at the adults. "I'm glad _someone_ got to it."

"Hey, that's _Princess_ Emmy to you, buster!"

"Marlene, you don't know what you're _doing,"_ Ava murmured in despair.

Emerald nodded. "I have to agree. This seems... a little intense. Especially for whoever ends up in second place and gets stuck with me as the 'leftover'... "

"Relax, girls! I'm about to get us a Spa Day!" Marlene turned back to the Daemos. "All right! First task is making hot chocolate!"

* * *

Most of the day passed by in a flurry of activities.

Between hot chocolate, tea parties, pony races (Emerald and Leif ended up paired together, winning the race once Marlene closed her eyes so the former assassin could "phase" ahead), dolly playhouse, cookies, and video games, the Daemos were completely wiped out as the sun began to set behind the city skyline.

"I... I don't know... how much more of this I can take," Rhys gasped out, staring tiredly at the coffee table.

"It's all stupid, pointless tasks," Asch grumbled, staring at the ceiling from his spot on the floor.

Noi grinned tiredly. "I enjoyed being a pony, though. I got my hair brushed!"

"And sugar cubes," Pierce added from his spot near the fireplace.

"All right, boys!" They all started as Marlene charged out of Ava's room. "Here come the brides!"

Ava and Emerald came out slowly behind her. Their clothes had been replaced with two toilet paper "dresses", their bras slightly visible beneath the thin coverings. "Marlene... " the former muttered, obviously not at all happy about the situation.

"Oh, just wait until we have to put all this paper back up," the veteran murmured to her. "There's no way in hell I'm wasting this many rolls on something like this."

"And the winners of the brides are: " Marlene paused, mimicking a dramatic drumroll. "Noi and Pierce!"

As expected, it was instant chaos.

"There is _no way_ Noi is getting Ava!" Asch growled, staring down as his smallest knight.

Leif pulled out his knives, barely containing his rage. "I'll _kill_ you for her!"

"Let's go!" Pierce shouted back, brandishing his broadsword.

Rhys shook his head tiredly. "Violence is never the answer. But in _this_ case... " He trailed off as he drew his staff.

Emerald stepped forward. "You guys know this is just a _pretend_ wedding, right?"

Five simultaneous cries of "Huh?!" rang out as the Daemos put away their weapons of choice.

Marlene nodded, glaring at them. "Look, I don't have the Power of Attorney to make it legit. My certification is from Play-Doh."

The veteran shook her head. "And in what world do you guys think a _child_ is the one to decide who gets to marry anybody, let alone a princess?" She glared again, taking in some of the residual mess from the day's activities as she sat down on the couch between Leif and Rhys. "And so help me if you all even _think_ about running out before you help clean this mess up... "

"So... Princess Ava is still open to marriage... " Asch murmured tiredly.

Leif glared at them. "So all of that was for _nothing?!"_

"Yep!" Marlene shouted out happily. "But now I see how much you guys love them, and that's nice to know." She looked between the women. "And I'm sure they see that too."

"Well... at least we've proven to Ava and Emerald we can handle children and... " Rhys trailed off, eyes growing droopy.

One by one, the other Daemos began to pass out until only the spectacled Daemos remained awake. _"Whoa... "_ Marlene whispered, looking around. _"They fell asleep... "_

Rhys scoffed. "Obviously, I am the better... " He cut himself off as a large yawn escaped.

Emerald hesitated a moment, but then reached over and began to play with his hair. He looked over at her blearily. "It's okay," she murmured quietly to him. "You helped me get some rest yesterday: let me return the favor tonight." She twirled a few strands of his hair lazily around her finger. "Relax."

He closed his eyes completely, leaning heavily against her shoulder as he finally allowed himself to sleep.

"Wow, look at that." Marlene took in the scene before her. "They're all taking a nap!" She paused as a large yawn ripped from her own mouth. "I may need one, too."

Ava let out a soft chuckle. "Come on, Marlene. You can take a nap in my room."

* * *

Once Marlene was securely tucked in, Ava came back out to check on everyone. She barely managed to contain a squeal as she saw Leif had also fallen against Emerald's other shoulder, effectively pinning the veteran on the couch.

Ava motioned to the two Daemos weighing her down and raised an eyebrow. The veteran rolled her eyes before carefully shrugging her shoulders.

The shorter woman gave out a small laugh. "You know, for all the gloating they do about being powerful and deadly warriors, they sure can't keep up with an eight-year-old."

Emerald gave out a little laugh as well, before looking thoughtful. "If they're going to be sleeping out here, you might want to cover Pierce up." She nodded towards the ceiling. "He's right underneath the air vent, and you know how long it takes Jake to covert the building over from A/C to Heat."

Catching the look Ava was giving her, the veteran shook her head just enough to stop her from saying anything. "Look, do you _really_ want to deal with any of these guys getting sick? Because I don't."

Ava nodded. "Fair enough." She retrieved the spare blanket from the laundry room, carefully spreading it over Pierce. Once she'd finished, the shorter woman turned back to her. "You gonna be okay there?"

Emerald nodded again. "Yeah. They're pretty out of it. Should be good at least until it's time for Marlene to go back to Mrs. Oates."

"Well, I think I'm gonna go take a nap as well. See you later." Ava went back into her room, carefully shutting the door so as not to wake anyone.

The veteran glanced around at the scene before her, suppressing a yawn of her own. "You guys did a good job," she murmured, resting her head against Rhys's hair and closing her eyes.


	22. Chapter 21 - Personal Hygiene and You

_This is a work of fanfiction. All characters (except Emerald) belong to Aphmau / Jessica Bravura._

_Cover Art belongs to Aphmau / Jessica Bravura._

_Please don't sue me._

* * *

"You're deep in thought today. Something on your mind?"

Ava glanced up from her phone at Em. The older woman was sitting on the former's bed, idly petting Johnny. However, she didn't seem relaxed at all: on the contrary, she seemed like there was something she really wanted to say, but was holding back for some reason. "Just thinking about this text from Lorelai."

"About the Fall Festival?"

Ava nodded. "A pro is if we _don't_ go, I can just sleep more and do whatever I want without the weight of the world judging me on my shoulders!"

Em raised an eyebrow. "That's a pro?"

"And the con is we can just sit here in the apartment... in our rooms... doing nothing... as always... "

"Speak for yourself. I've at least gotten out to buy groceries." She looked thoughtful. "But... you do have a point. It feels like we've just been coasting through everything, especially this week."

"Everyone in my school has been going to the Fall Festival since we were young, and Lorelai did say some friends from high school were going to be there for sure, so there's no way around it." Ava closed her eyes. "But... high school for me was... "

"I, ah, heard about some of it. My parents filled me in on a little, but I don't think they really knew everything going on."

Ava shrugged, opening her eyes to stare forlornly out the window. "I mean, a lot of my school life was like that. But if I see people who I didn't like before, like... everyone... " She sighed.

"I don't think anyone really has an 'easy time' of it in high school." Em returned her sigh, leaning forward to rest her arms on her knees. "It's part of the reason I joined the Air Force. I just wanted to get as far away from here as I could." She let out a humorless chuckle. "Look how well _that_ turned out."

"I've been meaning to ask you: where _are_ your parents? I remember you all being super close when we were younger. Unless... something changed?"

Before Em could answer, the muffled sounds of Leif grumbling in the living room broke through. _"Asch, give me the remote!"_

_"Over my dead body!"_

_"That can be arranged!"_

Both women let out soft chuckles. "Maybe... they'd want to go?" Ava asked, looking at the veteran.

Em nodded. "I think we could all do with some time outside. Besides, it'd be a good chance to expose them to some casual Earth culture, let them blow off some steam."

* * *

Both women stood and headed towards the door. Just before Ava opened it, Emerald paused as a whiff of something familiar assaulted her nose. "Ava, wait! Don't - !"

Too late. The shorter woman entered the living room before pausing as if she'd been slapped. Her hands immediately came up to cover her nose as her eyes began to water. "What the - why does it smell so _bad?!"_

Emerald shook her head. "_That_ is the musk of a group of dudes who haven't bathed in _way_ too long." She snorted out a breath. "We had a guy I worked with who absolutely refused to take a shower. It got so bad we had to send someone with him to his dorm room to actually make him bathe before he was allowed to come back to the shop."

The Daemos continued arguing, oblivious that the two women were now present. "We both know I'm stronger than you," Asch bragged as he and Leif fought for control of the remote.

"We've never really tested that out now, have we?" the former assassin shot back.

"No," Pierce answered simply from his perch on the end of the couch.

"Shut up, Pierce!"

Asch renewed his efforts to secure the remote. "I'd challenge you to a combat, but I do _not_ want to miss Socky's next grand adventure!"

"I need to watch the show about the murders!"

"You can't even remember your favorite 'Tee-Vee' show's _name!_ You don't care about it!"

"I only pay attention to _certain_ parts!"

"Hey guys, time out!" Ava called, stepping forward even as she kept her hand firmly pinching her nose closed.

As soon as he heard her voice, Asch let go of the remote. This resulted in Leif landing flat on his back on the floor, although he did now have the remote in his hand.

"What the heck is going _on?!_ Why do you guys look so... beardy?"

"And smell so bad?" Emerald stepped up next to her, albeit reluctantly.

"I can answer that!" Leif shouted, hopping back to his feet. "Rhys is having us conserve magic."

"He's concerned that, at the rate we're using it, we won't have enough to return to Daemos." Pierce sounded oddly subdued.

"Uh... are you guys planning on returning soon?" Ava seemed sad at the prospect.

"In time," Asch sighed. He didn't sound very enthusiastic about it either.

"We haven't really talked about it. We still need to talk about how we're going to get - " At the glare from the Daemos prince, Leif cut himself off. " - uh, um, who gets the remote!"

Ava let out a small huff of annoyance. "Marriage again, huh?"

Emerald gave her a sideways glance, thinking back to the conversation she'd had with Rhys last week. _'No, it's much more than that,'_ she thought. _'They're concerned about human behavior and culture, but only in ways that would let them blend in on a superficial level. They want Ava because they think it'll give them some level of control over the humans here, but why is that necessary?'_ She shook her head lightly, the vague worry tickling the back of her mind growing a little more insistent. _'If nothing else, I need to keep playing along with this so they don't hurt Ava.'_

"Let's just talk about what's in front of us right now." The veteran indicated their appearances. "What does conserving magic have to do with the smell and your beards?"

"_We_ can't clean ourselves," Leif answered bluntly.

"Wh-what?!" If Ava had been taking a sip from a drink, it undoubtedly would have sprayed all over them in her shock.

"We rely on magic as you do to keep ourselves clean." Asch seemed equally unconcerned.

Pierce nodded. "Not a substantial amount, but enough to keep our appearance."

"Wait, so _that's_ why you guys were so confused about our showers and baths?"

Emerald looked between all three Daemos. "Hold on: you guys understand we don't use magic to keep clean, right?"

"You don't?" Pierce frowned.

So did Asch. "Then... what do you do?"

"I take a bath, like you guys have accidentally seen me do before." Ava stressed the _accidentally_ part of the statement, glaring at them.

"And I don't have any magic, remember? How else would I be staying clean?" Emerald gave them a confused look. "Don't you guys do that when you run out of magic?"

"We've _never_ ran out of magic," Pierce confessed.

"Huh?"

The Daemos prince narrowed his eyes at her. "You heard him."

"Does everyone have magic where you guys come from?"

Leif nodded. "Yeah, at least the Daemos."

"It's an inherent trait of _our_ world. Our society is built around it, which is why many of your things fascinate us." Suddenly, Asch's expression fell. He sounded... sad. "Which is why we should, perhaps, begin thinking about when to return to ours."

To Emerald, it was some of the best news she'd heard in days. While it was true she'd miss them on some level, all of that was secondary to getting herself back on track. _'The sooner they go back to where they came from, the sooner I can focus on getting Ava set up and - '_

"Aww, that's too bad," Ava spoke up, a mischievous grin on her face.

She glanced at the shorter woman in horror. _'Oh no. Don't you dare, Ava. Don't you **fucking** \- '_

"And here I was, going to take you all to the Fall Festival."

As all the Daemos rushed forward in their excitement, the shorter woman didn't hear the soft string of frustrated cursing that slipped past Emerald's lips. Instead, she took an involuntary step back. "Oh _God,_ the smell... "

"Are you _actually_ taking us out again, Prisoners?!" Asch's eyes shone in anticipation.

"As long as you guys allow us to teach you all proper human hygiene then _yes,_ we'll take you guys out." The veteran tried desperately to get in a breath that _didn't_ smell like an elk had died a week ago after someone had coated it in corn chips.

"Deal!" The Daemos prince turned to the others. "We will have to postpone our meeting about the eventuality, I suppose."

"Yes!" Pierce didn't sound at all upset by the news.

"Now, hold it right there," Emerald cut in. "No one is going _anywhere_ until we get this mess figured out."

* * *

A few moments later, all five of them were gathered in Ava's bathroom.

"I still don't know why we have to use _mine_ for this," Ava sulked, crossing her arms in a pout.

"Because your bathroom is a lot bigger than mine, so it'll be easier for all of them to see what we're doing." Emerald rolled her eyes. "Besides, can you imagine trying to cram the five of us into mine? We'd be lucky to be able to move around at all."

"Fair enough." She turned to the Daemos. "You've been here before, but the bathroom is a very sacred and private place. People want privacy to be able to take a shower and get ready for the day and stuff."

Leif sighed in boredom. "Okay, we've been here before."

"What do we do here?" Asch seemed genuinely curious.

"First, let's work on your shave." Ava led the way over to the sink.

"Our what?"

"We'll explain as we go." Emerald gestured to the wooden stool she'd set up during the explanation. "Now, who wants to go first?"

Before anyone could even begin to answer, Leif phased over and settled himself.

_"Guess that answers that question,"_ she whispered to Ava as the shorter woman squirted out some shaving cream and applied it to the former assassin's face. Once he was soaped up, she turned and applied some of the cream to her own face as well.

"Pay attention, because I'm only going to show you this _once!"_ Looking in the mirror, Ava quickly pulled the razor across her upper lip. "See?" she asked, turning back to them.

_'Probably not,'_ Emerald thought. _'You blocked their view with your body, and I'm pretty sure they weren't paying attention to the mirror.'_

Leif scoffed. "That's easy," he boasted. "Gimme that!" He snatched the razor from Ava and dragged it down his left cheek, eyes going wide as a small trickle of purple blood began dripping from his face. He let out a shocked yell.

The veteran was already prepared with a few small bits of toilet paper. She quickly stepped forward and pressed one against the cut.

He stared at her accusingly. "Why didn't you tell me the stick had tiny blades?"

"You didn't wait long enough for us to get the chance." Emerald deftly took the razor from his hand. "Now hold still: I'm going to show you how to do this _without_ taking half your face off." With a few expert swipes, she removed the rest of his facial hair. "Done."

Ava stared at her in awe. "How'd you know how to do that?"

"I had to help my dad shave for a while after he broke his dominant hand once." She motioned for Leif to get off the stool, then pointed at Asch. "Your turn."

"You better not cut me," the Daemos prince warned after she'd put the shaving cream on his face.

"Then you'd better hold still," she shot back, carefully scrapping the razor across his chin. When she completed the task without incident, Emerald nodded to the last Daemos. "Pierce?"

He nodded back, settling himself onto the stool as she got the cream ready. "Okay."

Another few short minutes, and the last Daemos was clean-shaven once again. "Okay," Ava called out, sighing as she thought about what needed to be done next. "Now it's time for you guys to, uh... take a bath."

"Whoa, I'm gonna pump the brakes on that right now." Emerald held up a hand. "Do you know how expensive the water bill is going to get if they're _all_ taking baths every day? Showers are faster and use less water."

"Yeah, but... uh... " Ava was blushing furiously. "We're more likely to see their... dangly bits."

The veteran sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose under her glasses. "I think your 'delicate' sensibilities can deal with it for the purposes of teaching, don't you?"

The shorter woman shook her head furiously. "There is no way in _hell_ I'm taking that chance."

Emerald frowned, thinking hard. "Okay, how about this: I'll teach one of them how to take a shower, while you teach another how to take a bath. Whoever finishes with their student first teaches whoever is left over."

"Seems fair."

"I want Ava to teach me!" Leif piped up, phasing over to the bathtub.

"I would prefer to wait for Princess Ava to teach me as well," Asch announced. "I'm sure her teaching method is superior to whatever you have, guardian."

"And yet, _I'm_ the one who had to step in and teach you all how to shave," Emerald muttered under her breath. She spoke louder as she met his gaze. "Okay then, but if I'm done teaching Pierce before Leif is finished, you're going to come with me. Understand?"

"I - "

"If this takes too long, we won't have time to go out." She narrowed her eyes at him. "You want to go, you listen to me. Got it?"

Asch scoffed, but spun around and went to wait in Ava's room. The veteran turned to Pierce. "I guess you're with me. Go ahead and wait for me in my bathroom: I need to get something from my room first."

* * *

Pierce was standing near the bathtub as Emerald came in, having changed into her swimsuit. Thankfully, the Daemos himself was still fully clothed.

She shut the door, then began gathering all the supplies she would need. Once preparations were complete, she turned to face her student. "So, here's what's going to happen: I'm going to get into the shower and show you what to do. Then, I'll get out and you can get yourself clean. Sound good?"

He nodded, once. "Okay."

"Good." The veteran reached over and turned on the water, waiting until it warmed up sufficiently to pull the knob to the 'Shower' setting. She stepped through and grabbed a wash cloth. "First, you need to get yourself and this cloth wet. Once that's done, you're going to take this."

She held up the fresh bar of soap she'd retrieved. "It's called soap. Rub this against the washcloth to get some nice bubbles going," Emerald demonstrated, showing him the result. "Put the soap in this indent, then scrub this cloth all over your skin." She demonstrated again, albeit a bit quicker than she would if bathing for real. "Make sure you get all the dirt and stinky gunk off. Got it?"

"Yes."

"Good." The veteran carefully exited the shower, grabbing a nearby towel and wrapping it around her shoulders as she turned away from him. "Go ahead and get in. Let me know if you have any questions."

Behind her, she heard the telltale sounds of clothes falling to the floor and the light *_splish_* as he entered the water. She heard him inhale quickly, as if shocked, and turned her head slightly. "Everything okay?"

"It's... a little cold."

"Oh, I can fix that." With practiced ease, Emerald reached in and adjusted the temperature without looking. "Is that better?"

"Yes."

A comfortable silence passed between them as Pierce cleaned himself. After a while, she noticed it was quiet. "Almost done?"

"I am unsure how this cloth will clean my hair."

"Oh. Yeah, I didn't go over that part." Emerald hesitated, as if mulling something over. "Would you be comfortable with me getting in there to help you wash your hair? I'll try to be careful around your horns."

A pregnant pause passed between them. "Yes."

The veteran let the towel fall from her shoulders as she took a deep breath. _'Okay, Emmy: eyes up. Focus.'_ Letting it out, she stepped inside to join him.

* * *

"What's taking so long?!" Ava was standing in front of the bathroom door, eyes averted and closed with her hands over her face.

Leif was sitting in the bathtub full of water and bubbles, but showed no interest in actually doing anything. "This is boring," he stated flatly, glaring at her over the rim of the tub. "I don't wanna do this."

"Well, you're _going_ to do this if you want to go to the Fall Festival."

"I've been meaning to ask: what's a Fall Festival?"

"I'll explain later, just wash for now!"

"No, this is boring." To show her just how little regard he had for her instructions, the former assassin sank further into the water until only his eyes were visible above the bubbles.

Ava groaned in frustration, stalking across the bathroom to the linen closet on the other side. She rummaged through it until she found a blue toy motorboat she still had for some reason and tossed it into the water.

It floated across the surface, poking Leif in his left eye. He sat up immediately, indignant. "Ow!"

"You can play with the boat after you've finished washing yourself." Ava's hands were once more covering her eyes. "Now do it!" She turned and carefully stalked out of the bathroom, slamming the door shut behind her.

To her surprise, Em was standing there waiting for her. To her further surprise, the woman was wearing a swimsuit with a towel wrapped around her waist. "Not going well?"

"Oh, shut up," the shorter woman grumbled. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be teaching Pierce?"

"He's already done."

"Wait, really?"

"Yeah. He's a pretty quick learner. I sent him back through the portal to get into his human clothes." The veteran turned to Asch. "Which means you're stuck with me, your highness. Let's go."

"B-but I wanted Princess Ava to - "

"Nope. We had a deal. I finished first, so you're coming with me. No shower, no Fall Festival." She pointed at the door. "Now scootch."

* * *

It went about as well as Emerald expected. Although he did pay attention while she showed him what to do, Asch quickly began rushing through it once it was his turn.

"Pfft," he scoffed as he scrubbed the shampoo into his hair. "This is stupidly easy."

"Well yeah, it's gonna seem easy after I basically showed you exactly what to do." The veteran huffed, blowing a stray strand of hair out of her face. She turned to look at him. "Uh, you might want to raise your head. Some of the shampoo is starting to run down - "

"Don't tell me how to do this!" he barked, turning swiftly to face her. The trail of soap was quickly approaching his eyes.

**"STOP!"** Emerald reached in, slapping the washcloth over his eyes as she pulled his hair to force his head back up. They both paused, aware of how awkward the situation had suddenly become.

_"What. Are. You. Doing?"_ Asch's voice was dangerously quiet.

"I'm _trying_ to keep you from hurting yourself with the shampoo." She carefully let go of his hair, then dragged the washcloth up his forehead to clear away the soap. "Try to keep your head up so it doesn't run into your eyes. It'll sting if it does." She paused as she turned away. "I'm sorry for grabbing you like that."

The Daemos prince was thoughtful. "You... were trying to protect me?"

Emerald let out a soft laugh. "I mean, I _guess_ you could call it that." She rubbed the back of her neck. "You should probably finish rinsing that stuff out. The sooner you finish, the sooner we can get going."

Asch nodded carefully, mindful of what she'd told him about keeping his head up. _"... thank you,"_ he whispered, hoping she wouldn't actually hear him.

He didn't notice the small smile she let slip at his words. _'So, he **is** learning some manners,'_ she thought. _'Guess Socky's doing some good after all.'_

* * *

"Well, what do you guys think?" All five of them had gathered in the living room, the two humans facing the Daemos. Emerald had just finished brushing and tying Pierce's hair back into his signature ponytail.

The guys were now dressed in their human clothing, smelling and looking better than they had only an hour ago. The veteran had changed as well, her swimsuit hanging up to dry in the laundry room.

"It was, uh... interesting," Asch admitted, staring pointedly at his feet.

"Refreshing." Pierce sounded pleasantly surprised.

Leif gave off a toothy grin. "I enjoyed it!"

Ava stared at him flatly. "Of _course_ you enjoyed it, you locked yourself in the bathroom so you could play with the boat."

"_But_ it got the job done!"

The shorter woman slapped her forehead in frustration, but quickly shrugged it off. "Alright, listen: we're going to be going to the Fall Festival. Do you guys remember Lorelai?"

"Yes."

"Of course we do."

"Who?"

"Well, I decided that we're going to go out and kind of try to meet her and her friends there." Ava's face fell. "Some of those friends are old acquaintances of mine."

"You're making that face again from before." Leif looked at her, his own face oddly concerned. "Should I bring my weapons?"

"No! Absolutely not!" Emerald looked between them, sighing. "In fact, I'm relieved that Rhys forbid magic usage because that makes me a bit more comfortable with taking you guys out into such a large group of people."

Unexpectedly, Pierce silently raised his hand.

"Why... are you doing that?"

"Because Socky raises his hand to ask a question."

Asch glared at the former general. "Have you been watching Socky behind my back?!"

"Yes." Emerald could _hear_ the smile in Pierce's response, even though it didn't show. She barely held back her own grin as Asch let out a scandalized gasp.

"Aww, Pierce. That's polite. I'm glad more than one of you are learning something from Socky."

"Wait... " Ava interrupted. "How does Socky have hands if he's a sock and what does he wear on his feet?" She closed her eyes, lost in her own thoughts. "Deep questions."

"May I ask my question now?" Pierce seemed concerned he'd apparently been forgotten.

"Oh, sorry." Emerald nodded at him. "Go for it."

"What exactly is a Fall Festival?"

"Ah, that's right. We never really elaborated on that." She paused for a moment. "Well, you see, a Fall Festival is an event that celebrates Fall. It's kind of like a party, where a lot of people get together to eat all kinds of food and play games." She paused again. "I don't suppose you guys have anything like a Harvest Festival or something similar?"

"So... _why_ are we going?" She wasn't sure if Asch was purposefully ignoring her question, or if they just didn't understand the concept enough to provide an answer.

"For one, we've been cooped up in this apartment for nearly a week. You guys have been so absorbed in the TV, you didn't even notice when I went out for groceries the other day."

"I also want to... try more," Ava broke in. "I know I don't do nearly as much as I could to help out around here, and I know it can get tiring trying to push me all the time, so... I want to take the initiative for once." She smiled at her roommate. "I mean it."

Emerald returned the expression. "And I appreciate that." She turned back to the Daemos. "Alright. So remember: no magic. And _please..._ try not to get dirty since we just got you guys cleaned."

Ava narrowed her eyes at the Daemos. "Be good while we go out."

"You guys are going out."

Everyone turned to see Rhys and Noi standing behind them near the portal, the former holding a book.

"I wanna go, too!" the latter cried excitedly, eyes lighting up.

"Wait... " Ava sounded horrified. "We've got to _CLEAN YOU GUYS TOO?!"_

* * *

Emerald's propensity for problem-solving was on full display today.

She immediately told Ava to start filling up the bathtub in her bathroom while she got the Daemos clean-shaven. As soon as they were done, the veteran pushed Noi towards the tub while she led Rhys to her own bathroom.

"Dame Emerald?"

"Look, we don't have a lot of time." She shut the door behind them, immediately turning on the faucet before she began to remove her clothes. "I'm just going to jump in there with you so we can get out of here before Ava decides maybe this whole thing is too much work and she should just turn around and shut herself back in her room for the entire weekend."

"You... really want her to go out today, don't you?" He slowly began to remove his robes.

"I've been as patient as I can, but even _I_ have my limits." Emerald stopped, already stripped down to her underwear as she checked on the water. Satisfied it was at an acceptable temperature, she pulled the knob to start the shower properly. "You get in first, then I'll join you."

Rhys raised an eyebrow. "You have no reservations about joining me in such a compromising position?"

She waved him off. "Oh please. It's nothing you haven't seen from when Ava and I were in your 'hot tub.'" She actually made the quotes with her fingers. "Besides, I had to get in with Pierce earlier to help him wash his hair. I'd say I'm pretty committed at this point, wouldn't you?"

The spectacled Daemos had no answer, instead taking off his glasses and carefully placing them on top of his clothes before stepping into the shower.

"Is the water warm enough? I had to turn it up for Pierce earlier."

"Uh, no. It feels fine." He was a bit startled as she immediately pulled the curtain aside and entered, maintaining eye contact as she started soaping up the washcloth for him. Once it was properly sudded, she handed it to him.

"Scrub this all over your body, _except_ your hair. Let me know when you've gotten all the dirt off." She closed her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest as she waited.

Rhys did as she said, focusing on some particularly stubborn spots. As he cleaned himself, he couldn't help but study the human only a foot away from him. "Is that the scar Leif keeps going on about?"

Emerald's eyes shot open as if she'd been slapped. "What?"

He pointed briefly at the long, jagged scar that ran across her lower abdomen, just visible over the line of her underwear. "Right there. He was adamant about showing it to us after you fell asleep in the... hot tub, but Pierce wouldn't let anyone else see."

She chuckled, looking off to the side. "Yeah, that sounds about right," the veteran muttered, more to herself than anything. She shook her head and met his eyes again. "Yep, that's it. It's the reason I had to leave the military."

"What happened, if you don't mind my asking?"

"Just... a stupid accident. I'm a bit hazy on the details myself." She shrugged. "Are you done scrubbing yet?"

"Oh, uh, yes."

"Good. Rinse off, then face me and look up so your hair gets wet. Once it's wet enough, I'll help you out with the shampoo." Another chuckle. "And make sure you _don't_ look down once I get it on your head. I had to pull Asch's hair to make sure it didn't get into his eyes."

Despite himself, Rhys chuckled as well. "I imagine Prince Asch did not appreciate that."

"No, he didn't. But he listened to what I said and was even nice enough to thank me."

He paused. "Wait, really?" He let out a disbelieving chuckle. "It's too bad no one else saw it."

"Oh please, you know he _never_ would've done it if there were witnesses." She motioned for him to step forward as she turned around and grabbed the shampoo. "Now look up: I really don't want a repeat of earlier."

* * *

"The carnival!" Ava giggled out happily, practically giddy with excitement. "Oh my God, I remember when my dads would bring me here when I was little this is going to be so _fun_ I - " She cut herself off as the *_bloop_* of a new text message went off on her phone.

_Hey, I don't know if you're going to the Fall Festival or not, but if you are, I wanted to let you know we're going to be running late. Bad traffic. Hope to see you there!_

"Oh, Lorelai's running a little late." She immediately regained her earlier enthusiasm. "Well, that means we can do things together!"

"You're really into this, huh?" Emerald smiled at the shorter woman, lightly nudging her shoulder. "You know, there's lots of other things to do throughout the year worth getting out for. You might find more things you enjoy, maybe make some new friends... "

"Yeah yeah, I know," Ava huffed. "You know, sometimes you make me feel like I have _three_ parents."

"Uh, what do we do, exactly?" Asch interrupted, looking confused.

"Well first, I have to get us all tickets so we can get inside. Wait here." Emerald turned and began walking towards the booth.

"Wait, I'll come with you!" Ava ran over, quickly falling in step with her. "I think my dads might have dropped off something for us."

The veteran gave her a sideways glance. "So, you _were_ planning on coming the entire time. Otherwise, how would they have known to have the tickets waiting?"

"Well, I wasn't 100% sure. But I _might_ have mentioned I was thinking about it when I texted them yesterday."

The rest of the conversation faded out as the women walked away. Once they were sure they were out of earshot, the Daemos turned to one another.

Leif immediately began whining. "Being without magic _sucks,_ Rhys!"

"Sucks?"

"Yeah, like, it's not cool."

"Cool?"

"It means good," Asch cut in.

"Wait... you guys are teaching _me_ things?!"

"Yeah, what of it?" Leif shot back cockily.

Rhys let out a small laugh. "I just thought I wouldn't live to see this day."

"Shut up!"

"I do digress." He sobered up, looking around at the others. "It seems like we are all becoming more like humans, even in our mannerisms."

Noi nodded. "I noticed that! It's... kinda nice."

"We do need to start thinking about when we are executing our final plan and going home." He looked to the Daemos prince. "Are we still trying to win Ava's affections? And have we made a decision about Emerald?"

"Eh, we'll speak of that later," Asch waved him off nonchalantly. "For now, I want to experience this carnival."

"You do realize, if the Magic Crisis happens, the way of life on Daemos will drastically change." Rhys grew quiet and serious. "Much like we can't function here without Ava and Emerald's help, so will be the fate of everyone back home."

"It can wait one day," Asch growled through clenched teeth, glaring at him.

"Oh, so you guys can't use any magic at all!" Noi broke in, seemingly oblivious to the conversation's tone. "Like, not any?"

Rhys shook his head. "None. Even hiding our horns is excessive, but for outings and security it's the only thing I will allow."

"I would very much appreciate if we can just enjoy our time here at this festival and not worry about those matters." Asch grew thoughtful. "I know very well we have to make a decision, especially regarding Emerald, but I want to make sure it's the right one."

"Very well."

"So, what'd you guys think about the baths and showers?" Noi looked around at them again. "Oh, and shaving!"

Asch grinned. "Leif cut himself," he teased, drawing a blush from the former assassin.

"Nothing new, but it _did_ catch me off guard. Normally I'm used to things like that in combat."

"Alright you guys, we got the tickets!" Emerald called, waving at them and giving Leif a way out of the conversation.

Beside her, Ava gasped loudly. "Balloons!" she squealed, immediately running off into the carnival. "Oh my _God!"_

The veteran watched her go, then shook her head as she turned back to the Daemos. "She'll calm down in a bit. Just let her get it all out now." Emerald motioned for them to follow. "Come on: let's go before she runs off and forgets she actually came here with other people."

* * *

They had barely gotten past the front gate when Ava came rushing back over, holding a bright pink balloon in her hand. "Look, it's a balloon!" she exclaimed, eyes sparkling with excitement.

Rhys cocked an eyebrow. "Do you eat it?"

"Why do you guys always want to eat new things when you see them?" Emerald scoffed.

"Why do humans make things look delicious?" Pierce shot back, although he also looked confused.

Ava laughed. "I mean, you're not wrong... but anyway! Follow me! I want to show you everything the festival has to offer!" She turned and practically ran towards the Midway. The others exchanged a brief glance before following along.

It was shaping up to be an interesting afternoon.


	23. Chapter 22 - Risky to Lower Your Guard

_This is a work of fanfiction. All characters (except Emerald) belong to Aphmau / Jessica Bravura._

_Cover Art belongs to Aphmau / Jessica Bravura._

_Please don't sue me._

* * *

The group of seven stood at the entrance to the Midway, looking around at all the various sights. Ava had already lost her balloon, absorbed in the excitement of the event and quietly squealing in happiness to herself.

Emerald waved her hand in front of the shorter woman's face, to no avail. "Welp, looks like Ava's checked out for now." She turned to the Daemos. "Is there anything you guys want to know?"

"I'm rather confused on what this event is," Rhys confessed.

Pierce nodded. "Indeed."

"Hey look! They're drowning humans!" Leif pointed to a nearby Apple Bobbing stand. A man held his hands behind his back as he dipped his face forward into the water, a woman and little girl watching on from the side.

"They... willingly drown themselves?" Asch didn't seem to enthusiastic about the concept.

Rhys appeared lost in thought. "That would make torture far more easier. Almost... unnecessary."

"I don't get it. Where's the fun in that?" Leif seemed more confused than ever.

Emerald stared between the two of them. "Why am I not surprised your people would regularly engage in torture?" she sighed. "It's a game, called 'bobbing for apples.' You have to get an apple out of the barrel of water without using your hands."

The spectacled Daemos shook his head. "Why not just pick it up?"

"Because it wouldn't be a very interesting game." She sighed. "You know, not _everything_ has to have some serious meaning or purpose. Sometimes, it's nice to just do things for fun, you know?"

"Fun?"

"Prisoners! Explain - "

"Whoawhoawhoawhoawhoa!" Ava chose that particular moment to snap out of her joy-induced trance, running over and slapping her hands over Asch's mouth just as two women were walking by. They gave the short woman strange looks, but continued on their way without making a comment.

As soon as they were far enough away, Ava lowered her hands. "Asch, you _can't_ call us 'prisoner' out in public. Besides, why aren't you calling me 'princess' or Em 'dame'?"

"He has forgotten his manners," Pierce said solemnly, shaking his head.

Noi nodded. "Yeah, Asch does sometimes."

"Hey!" the Daemos prince cried out indignantly.

Emerald cut him off. "Well here, _Asch,_ you need to remember them. I don't care if you call us 'prisoner' or whatever when we're at home, but outside you guys just call us Ava and Emerald or Em if you really feel the need."

Pierce looked confused. "Or... Princess Ava and Dame Emerald?"

The veteran shook her head. "I'd prefer we don't use the titles outside, okay?" She gave them all a serious look. "And _don't_ call me Emmy."

"But Mrs. Oates - " Rhys began.

"Mrs. Oates has known my family for a really long time. She's also old and set in her ways, so it doesn't matter what I tell her at this point." She took a deep breath before continuing on, her tone of voice less serious. "Now here, I want you guys to let go of any bad thoughts you may have about humans." A smile. "Here, it's all about fun."

Rhys cocked his head at her. "What do you mean by 'fun'?"

"You know, the thing you guys have been having since... well, I _assume_ since you've gotten here. Like, when Leif locked the door to Ava's bathroom and played with the boat. Or when we all went to the movies." She met his gaze. "Or when you eat ice cream. Things like that."

"We're just completing the mission," Leif interrupted, sounding a bit smug. "That's all."

"Really now?" Emerald cocked an eyebrow at him. "Okay then: your mission for today is to enjoy the carnival."

"You guys have been on Earth for pretty much a month or so now," Ava broke in confidently. "You should know _nothing_ here will hurt you."

_"It's actually been about twenty-three days, but I guess that's close enough,"_ the veteran murmured under her breath.

"And if something does?" Asch cut in.

Rhys sighed. "Asch, you do have to admit, since we've been here nothing aside from Princess Ava and Dame Emerald has threatened us."

The shorter woman glared at him. "It's _just_ Ava or Em."

"Perhaps... letting our guard down for one moment might not hurt," Pierce cut in thoughtfully.

"Fine," Asch agreed sulkily.

"Good." Ava nodded. "Now you guys wait here one second." Without waiting for a response, she ran off towards the attraction ticket booth.

As soon as she was a good ways off, Emerald turned back to the Daemos. "All right, before we keep going, you guys have to _promise_ me you won't threaten anyone or use magic. I already know you guys are banned from it, but you must 100% _promise_ to not even _think_ about using it."

Rhys studied her closely. "Why?"

"Because we're in a public place. I'm positive there will be people who know Ava or her dads, so if we're going to be seen with you guys, I need to know you'll be on your _best_ behavior." She sighed in resignation. "I know none of you care, but it'll definitely make _my_ job a lot easier if y'all just cooperate."

"Then you have our word."

Before any of the other Daemos could respond, Ava came running back up to the group. "All right! Here are your tickets." She began handing out stacks of small, numbered tickets to the others. "You guys can use them here at the festival."

Emerald stared at her own stack apprehensively. "How did you pay for these?"

"Oh, the Ticketmaster here is a good friend of my dads, so he gives me tickets for _free._ Just... don't tell anyone," she finished mysteriously, giggling.

"Ava!" The veteran scowled at her. "The whole point of me being stuck with you is to teach you some _freaking_ independence. How the _hell_ is using your parents' connections in any way equivalent to standing on your own two feet?!"

"Come on, it's not that big a deal! It's just a couple of carnival tickets. It's not like I'm doing something questionable to pay rent or anything like that."

"... not like you pay your part of the rent now though, is it?" Emerald crossed her arms over her chest, staring the shorter woman down. "I mean it, Ava: you need to start taking this seriously. I'm not going to be around to hold your hand forever. You have to - "

"Oh, don't be a killjoy, Em!" Ava turned to the Daemos. "Let's go play some games. Then... we may do some rides later." She ran off, leaving the Daemos looking with confusion between her and the veteran, who was still glaring at her retreating form.

* * *

"What... _is_ this?" Rhys seemed just as lost as ever.

Ava grinned at him confidently. "These are called 'carnival games'. They're _crazy_ hard to play."

Noi cocked his head. "What does that mean?"

"Well, each of these tables has a game you can play. The rules vary based on the game, but if you _win_ the game, you get a stuffed animal!"

"What does the stuffed animal do?" Leif spoke up.

"It's just for decoration, really. Or some people give it to their boyfriends or girlfriends."

Asch stared at her. "What's that?"

"Uh... I'm sure you know about that. Hasn't Socky told you about it, maybe?"

Emerald burst out laughing. "Ava, Socky is a show designed for teaching younger kids about life skills. I _guarantee_ it's not going to talk about relationships like that... unless preschoolers have changed drastically in the last decade and I didn't notice."

Leif lit up excitedly. "Oh, _I_ know what she's talking about! On the show I watch about catching the murderers, there was this boyfriend who stabbed his girl - "

"_Don't_ listen to Leif!" Ava sighed. "Look, I'll just tell you: basically, boyfriend and/or girlfriend is the status you need to achieve before marriage here on Ee-urth."

"Earth." Noi spoke up. When she looked at him in confusion, he continued. "Isn't it pronounced 'Earth'?"

"Wow... you actually got it right?"

"I learned it from the TV!"

"They've been saying it correctly for the past week or so." Emerald cocked an eyebrow. "You've just been holed up in your room and didn't notice."

Sensing another argument was about to break out, Rhys interrupted softly. "Go on about this boyfriend-girlfriend thing."

The veteran pinched the bridge of her nose. "It's essentially two people who are actively courting each other. If someone wins a stuffed animal from one of these games, they'd give it to their love interest and it would help strengthen the relationship because the person receiving the gift would think the gesture was romantic."

"Does that make the marriage happen faster?" Asch asked, almost hungrily.

"Maybe... it really depends on the person."

"I mean, _I'd_ find it romantic to get a stuffed animal from someone I liked, since no one aside from my dads have ever gotten me one before." Ava trailed off, sounding a little bitter.

Now Pierce was staring at the shorter woman intently. "Will you marry whoever brings you a stuffed animal?"

"That's a _brilliant_ observation, Pierce!" Asch was practically giddy with excitement.

"I'm going to be the one to get the stuffed animal first!" Leif shouted, the words almost running together.

"Whoa, time out." Emerald made a T-shape with her hands. "You guys don't even know how to play the games."

Rhys turned back towards them. "This sign says we need to give the people at the games a certain amount of tickets to play!"

"That's... not what I was talking about - "

"Since when can you fully read our language?!" Ava interrupted, staring at the Daemos in shock.

"I've been giving them my books to read since a few days after they first got here. I guess at least Rhys has been taking it seriously."

"Hey, we have tickets!" Now Noi was getting swept up in the excitement.

"Guys, wait! I - " Ava cut herself off as all the Daemos ran off in different directions, each of them obsessed with being the first to win a stuffed animal for their "princess."

... well, _almost_ all of them. Emerald turned to Rhys, who was still nearby. "You aren't bolting off?"

"Hmpf," he snorted. "_My_ style when it comes to things of strategy is to play it cool."

"Oh really?" The veteran gave him a challenging smirk, pointing at a nearby Bottle Ring Toss game. "Well then, why don't you show me what you can do?"

"Watch." He led the way to the game, Emerald following closely behind.

Ava scoffed. "Yeah, _right._ I've seen you panic before," she muttered under her breath as she watched Rhys saunter off. She was about to follow after them when she heard a soft voice call out her name.

"Oh, Mr. Dracula! Good to see you here." She smiled as the elder man approached, stopping just in front of her.

"Do you think you can help me find my daughter and her friend? I've been looking for a while around here and I can't seem to find them."

Ava grew worried. "Are they okay?"

"Oh, of course," he chuckled. "They normally run around perfectly fine. I'm just getting older and need help seeing and getting around, is all."

"Uh, sure, I don't mind helping you out. I'm planning on being here for a while, anyway."

"Oh, bless your soul, Ava. You're always so kind to us old people."

"You mean 'senior citizen'?"

"Oh, don't try to make it sound nice, dear. I'm old and I'm _loving_ it!" He chuckled a bit before turning to leave. "Now, let's go find those scamps."

Ava glanced over her shoulder at where Emerald and Rhys were, both fully engaged in conversation. _'I'm gonna trust the others to be alone. Besides, Em is there and has her phone, so she'll let me know if anything happens.'_ She frowned to herself as she followed after Mr. Dracula. _'Plus, we have to stop holding their hand everywhere. They've been on Earth long enough to be left alone for a little bit.'_

* * *

"Toss a ring! Get it on the bottle! Win a stuffed animal!" The game attendant pointed his hook for retrieving the prizes at Rhys and Emerald. "You wanna try? One ticket equals one throw!"

"Hmm... a game about precision. Now _this_ I can do." The Daemos smirked. "Especially now with my glasses."

Emerald let out a light chuckle. "These games aren't easy. You _might_ want to rein in your confidence a touch." She paused a moment. "Why don't I take a turn first? That way, you can see how the game is played."

He nodded after a moment of thought. "Let's see what you can do."

The veteran gave a ticket to the carny and received the ring. She held the ring between her thumb and index finger, like a mini frisbee. After carefully studying the bottles, she flicked her wrist quickly, sending the ring soaring...

... right around the top of one of the bottles.

"And we have a winner!" the carny shouted enthusiastically, studying her for a moment before reaching up with his hook and pulling down a small stuffed dragon. "A pretty prize for a pretty lady." He winked at Rhys as he handed it to Emerald. "You're not gonna let the lady do _all_ the work, are you?"

For some reason, the Daemos felt vaguely insulted by his words. He immediately pulled out one of his tickets and handed it over. "One game, please."

The carny grinned as he took the ticket and handed over the ring, no doubt sensing an easy mark. "Here you are, sir. Best of luck!"

Rhys held the ring up to his eye, gauging the distance to the target he intended to hit. He tested his aim a few times before tossing it out...

... and watching it bounce off the lip of the bottle.

"What?! My aim was _flawless!"_

"Oho! Sorry, bud." The carny grinned as Rhys immediately pulled out another ticket.

"No. Give me one more chance."

Emerald shook her head, smiling softly. She was pretty sure the spectacled Daemos was going to blow through all of his tickets, but at least he was having fun and wasn't getting into trouble.

Speaking of trouble, Leif chose that moment to sidle up. He looked between the two of them before settling on Rhys. "What are you doing?"

"Focusing... " he answered.

"Oh... "

The other three Daemos walked up as well. "What's going on?" Asch tilted his head in confusion.

Rhys narrowed his eyes more. "Focusing... "

Emerald turned to them. "Did you guys get anything?"

"We ran out of tickets!" Pierce sounded frustrated, unusually animated in his response.

Noi nodded sadly. "The game we played was hard."

"Which one was it?" The veteran followed the line of where they were pointing before letting out a disbelieving chuckle. "Well, no _wonder_ you didn't have any luck. That's one of the hardest games here. If you had any tickets left, I'd suggest you try a different game." She looked over at Leif. "Speaking of which, what about you? Did you go with them?"

The former assassin shook his head. "No. Everyone was scared of me, so I haven't even gotten to play anything yet."

Before anyone could answer, Rhys threw his ring and was rewarded by the short _*ting*_ of it catching on the lip of the bottle.

"And we have a winner!" the carny shouted, although with considerable less enthusiasm than earlier.

"I did it!"

A chorus of frustrated exclamations came from the others, most notably Pierce who only stated "this is terrible".

"Here you go, sir. A stuffed poodle, just for you." As he handed the toy over, Emerald caught the look on his face and knew they should probably move on to another game.

"Okay, let's go see if there's another game you guys can play. Right, Ava?" The veteran turned to look at the shorter woman, only to stop short when she realized she wasn't nearby.

The Daemos looked around in considerable panic. "Where... where did she go?!" Asch looked scared.

Noi's eyes went wide. "I-I wasn't watching!"

"Princess Ava?" Pierce called, his voice more emotive than usual.

Leif furrowed his eyebrows. "I've got a _bad_ feeling about this..."

"Guys, it's fine." Emerald pulled out her phone. "I'll just text her and see where she ran off to. No big deal." She texted a quick message, frowning when a progress bar appeared after she hit Send. "Huh, that's weird... "

"Where is Princess Ava?" The Daemos Prince had moved right next to her, peering over her shoulder.

"_Jesus,_ Asch!" The veteran jumped back a bit, shaking slightly. "Don't _do_ that." She took a deep breath, then looked at her phone again. "Ah, crap. I forgot the reception at these things can really suck. Let me try - "

"Split up and find her!" Asch ordered his knights, all of them scattering into the carnival.

"No, wait! Don't - " Emerald watched as all the Daemos immediately got lost in the crowds. "... run off." She took another deep breath, looking back down at her phone. She vaguely noticed her hands were beginning to shake a bit more as she tried texting Ava again.

_C'mon Ava, answer me. The guys are starting to freak out and I don't know how much longer I can keep them together._

Once the text was sent, Emerald looked around to try and start wrangling the Daemos back in. She pointedly ignored the tight feeling beginning to build in her chest and started off towards the snack area.

* * *

It took a few minutes, but Emerald finally managed to get all five Daemos gathered together behind the giant jack-o-lantern near the front of the festival grounds. They weren't taking Ava's disappearance very well... which, by extension, was stressing Emerald out to no end.

"No sign of her!" Noi sounded like he was about to cry.

Rhys shook his head. "I looked all nearby."

"Why would she _leave_ us?!"

"Sh-she wouldn't... she wouldn't leave us _alone_ out around everyone would she?" Asch's eyes darted around as he chuckled nervously.

"Guys, calm down." Emerald took a deep breath, trying to force down her own rising panic over how out-of-control the situation was turning. "You aren't alone. I'm right here. The Fall Festival is perfectly safe."

"She must be really lost," Leif murmured, apparently not hearing what the veteran had said.

"How could we have let this happen?" Rhys looked between all the Daemos guiltily, but settled his gaze on the veteran. "Are... are _you_ all right, Dame Emerald?"

"I'm fine. It's fine. Everything's fine." She closed her eyes, trying to take a few deep breaths. For some reason, it didn't make her feel any better: just a little dizzy.

_"I'm glad we found them, Mr. Dracula,"_ came Ava's voice from not too far away.

"Wait... over there!" Pierce pointed, but none of them dared to move.

* * *

"See you later," Ava chirped happily, waving goodbye to the group.

"Thanks again, Ava." Mr. Dracula herded his daughter and her friend off towards the rides, giving a nod to the short woman as he passed by.

She watched them go, then headed back towards the Midway. She was surprised to be almost immediately enveloped in a hug by Em as she came around the corner. "What the - ?!"

_"Why didn't you answer my texts?!"_ the veteran whispered fiercely in her ear. Ava could feel the taller woman shaking.

"Why did you leave us?!" Asch spoke up, sounding worried.

"Huh? Oh, I needed to help Mr. Dracula for a moment." She smiled at them sheepishly as Em released her grip. "Sorry about that. I - "

"What if something happened to you?!" Noi cried.

Leif nodded, sounding oddly subdued. "We wouldn't've _been_ there."

"_Please_ don't go off like that." Pierce pleaded.

Ava furrowed her eyebrows at them all. "Wh... what are you guys - ?"

"They've been freaking out and we had no idea where you _were!"_ Em closed her eyes as she took another shaky breath. "I know you have your phone on you, but the reception here is shit. I had no way of getting ahold of you."

Ava's phone _*dinged*_ at that moment, showing the texts from almost ten minutes ago.

"We were just sca - " Rhys cut himself off, clearing his throat. "...um, _afraid_ you might have gotten lost."

"I'm fine, though." Ava let out a nervous chuckle, aware of how all of them were staring at her.

"Please... just don't leave us like that again. Okay?" Asch sounded like he was about to cry.

"I'm sorry, I should've said something. I'll make sure you all know next time."

Her response earned a relieved smile from all the Daemos... and an oddly subdued nod from Em.

"So... anything cool happen while I was gone?"

"Oh, right!" Rhys grinned widely. "Princess Ava? Here." He held out the purple poodle for her to take.

Ava immediately blushed. "Oh, Rhys!" She reached out to take the toy, snuggling it close. "Thank you!"

"_We_ tried to win some, too," Asch cut in.

"But we ran out of tickets!" Noi finished with a whine.

Pierce looked at her seriously. "Does this mean you're going to marry Rhys?"

"Ugh, the marriage thing _again?"_ Ava groaned. "Look, how about I get us some more tickets and then we'll decide what to do about that later. Okay?"

"Yes!" Asch shouted.

Leif grinned wickedly. "REDEMPTION!"

Rhys scoffed. "I'll still win."

"Hey, I'm gonna play this time, too." Ava smiled confidently. "See if you guys can beat _me."_

* * *

As they all headed towards the ticket booth and Midway, Pierce followed along near the back. He had noticed Emerald was acting... strange.

She shuffled along behind the group, squeezing the small stuffed dragon she'd won earlier so tightly her knuckles were turning white. Her steps were shorter than the ones she normally took, her usual confidence gone. Even as he watched her, the veteran took several shaky breaths, closing her eyes for a brief moment as she trudged along.

Pierce leaned in close. _"Are you feeling unwell again?"_ he asked softly, making sure only she could hear him.

Emerald's eyes shot open in surprise: she obviously hadn't expected anyone to notice. _"Oh! N-no. I'm fine."_ She gave him an unconvincing grin that didn't make it all the way to her eyes as they both stopped walking.

The former general paused, searching for words. _"I know I'm not as... good at conversations as the others. But I am here if you need to talk about anything."_

The veteran's grin gained just the slightest bit of strength, her death grip on the plush loosening ever so slightly. When she took another deep breath, it was steadier than before. _"Is... is it okay if I hold on to you? Just for a little bit?"_

Pierce nodded, holding his left arm out. She snaked her hand around his bicep, leaning her head on his shoulder. For some reason, the Daemos felt himself blushing slightly at the sudden contact.

Emerald immediately lifted her head as she felt his arm stiffen. _"I'm sorry! I can - "_

He patted her head with his right hand. _"No, it's okay."_ He couldn't hide the grin in his voice. _"I did not expect you to be so... cuddly."_

She huffed out a chuckle as she settled back in, noticing they'd fallen a bit behind the group. _"It's just until we get more tickets."_

For some reason, that statement made Pierce feel... disappointed.


	24. Chapter 23 - Scatter!

_This is a work of fanfiction. All characters (except Emerald) belong to Aphmau / Jessica Bravura._

_Cover Art belongs to Aphmau / Jessica Bravura._

_Please don't sue me._

* * *

"We have a winner!"

Ava grinned as the carny handed her an absolutely adorable cheeseburger cat. For some reason, it looked to be a higher-quality toy than many of the prizes available from the other games, but she figured it was because this particular carny was someone she knew was following her dad's campaign.

"Hmph. Beginner's Luck," Asch scoffed, looking at her cockily. "Watch _this!"_ He blinked in surprise as the ball he threw drifted just past the left side of the bottle. "I'm. Not. Through. Yet," he growled through gritted teeth, glaring as he threw the other four balls.

All four shots missed, bringing out a small chuckle from Emerald. "Man, that's rough. No wonder you never actually _throw_ those fireballs you summon. You'd probably set the whole apartment building on fire."

"This game is cursed with a bad omen!" he shouted at her, turning away in frustrated embarrassment.

"Stand aside and watch this." Leif swaggered up to the pitching line, handing the carny his ticket.

Oddly enough, the former assassin also missed every one of his shots... just slightly to the _right_ of the bottle.

"Are we sure Rhys is the _only_ one who needs glasses?" The veteran grinned again.

"This is stupid! Why use a tiny ball for this?!"

"Now Leif," Rhys cut in. "It's all about strategy. You need to - "

Before he could finish his sentence, Leif turned and grabbed Noi by the shoulders and chucked the smallest Daemos bodily into the bottle...

... and through the back of the game.

As Leif laughed in victory and the carny began moaning about his stand, Emerald rushed forward and whispered in Ava's ear. _"Go check on Noi: I'll try to smoth things over with the attendant."_

Leif struck a victory pose. "How's _that_ for strategy?!"

"... it was rather effective," Rhys admitted quietly.

Pierce nodded. "Good thinking, Leif."

"I'm so angry I didn't think of that sooner..." Asch growled out.

_"Guys, shut it!"_ Emerald hissed angrily as she approached the carny, but he didn't seem interested in talking to her just yet.

"Why did you _do_ that?!" he demanded of Leif.

"Because your game was broken." He grinned wickedly. "You know, you should really consider using humans instead of tiny balls to throw at the bottles."

"I'm _so_ sorry about that," Emerald interrupted, drawing the man's attention away from the former assassin.

He ignored her, instead looking over her shoulder to glare at Ava who had just come out from behind the hole in the stand with Noi. "Ava, you should really consider the people you hang around with!"

"Hey!" The veteran waved her hand in front of his face. "_I'm_ the one talking to you right now. Leave her out of this. Did it ever occur to you that these are _my_ friends and Ava's only really here because of me?" She took a breath, trying to rein in her temper. "These guys are friends of mine from overseas, and they have some... _odd_ habits I'm trying to help them break."

"Don't smart-mouth me, Missy. You know this could look bad on Ava's father."

"Why should it? Just because she _happens_ to be nearby? I don't understand why everyone in this stupid city makes such a big deal out of how _Ava_ acts when she's not the one running for any kind of political position." Emerald felt herself getting angry. "It's not right that she has to completely rearrange how she lives her life in order to make it 'convenient' for others to live theirs!"

Ava reached up and put a hand on the veteran's shoulder. _"Em, it's okay. I've got this."_ The shorter woman gently nudged her out of the way, steering her towards the Daemos as she stayed behind to try calming down the carny.

Rhys and Pierce walked up to meet her as she came around to the front of the stand. "Are you all right?" the former asked softly, searching her face.

Emerald closed her eyes, clenching her fists as she took another deep breath. "Yeah... yeah, I'm okay." She opened them, only to see Pierce leaning down in front of her, studying her closely.

He looked down at her hands. "You are shaking," the Daemos general commented, carefully reaching over to take her right hand in his. She tensed up briefly before leaning forward and wrapping her free arm around him in a tight hug. Pierce returned the gesture, holding her close as he gently rubbed her back.

"I guess we all do stupid things for love." Emerald heard the carny laugh softly from behind her. She turned to see the man shaking his head, a small grin on his face as he looked between her and the tallest Daemos. "Eh, fine. I'll let it slide this time... but only 'cause it's you, Ava." He waggled a finger at the shorter woman in warning. "Next time, I won't be forgiving at all."

"Thank you!" Ava looked over at the mess. "We can help clean up... "

"No, the damage isn't that bad. Besides, it gives me a reason to take a break." He sighed, then waved her off. "Now get on outta here."

"Thank you!" She swiftly ran off a ways, motioning for the others to follow her. The Daemos were quick to obey, although a few of them kept glancing over towards a nearby group of children carrying corn dogs.

Emerald followed slowly after, shifting her grip to Pierce's side. He seemed content to allow her to use him as a support, both physically and emotionally, for the time being. He brought his arm around her back, resting his hand on her shoulder.

_'Don't get too comfortable here,'_ she warned herself. _'You already know he's not interested in you. Don't bother getting your hopes up.'_ Still, she had to admit, it was hard to think that way when he so willingly endured her clingy behavior.

* * *

As they moved away from the previous attraction, Ava heard her phone give a soft _*ding*_ signaling another text message. She pulled it out to see a new message from Lorelai: _Hey Ava, we're about to park. We'll see you inside!_

"Huh," she murmured as she put her phone away. "Lorelai will be here soon."

Rhys looked at her quizzically. "What does that mean?"

The shorter woman turned to face him. "It means... we have time for one more game!" She nodded towards the other end of the Midway. "Come this way: I know a great one you guys would be _really_ good at."

"Ava, wait... " Pierce called out. He could feel Emerald leaning a little less on him, but she was still shaking slightly. Even as he looked down at her, the veteran straightened up and gently freed herself from his grasp.

"It's okay, Pierce," she reassured him. She visibly braced herself before stepping forward. "I know we said we were just going to relax and enjoy the festival, but there's something I - "

"Ava! Look what we found!" Noi called out happily as he, Asch, and Leif ran up. Each of the Daemos was holding a corn dog.

"Uh... where did you get those?" Even as she asked the question, the veteran had a bad feeling she already knew the answer.

"Those children over there," Asch drawled, pointing to where they'd just come from.

"Mommy, some guys took my corn dog!" a strangely deep-voiced child whined.

The woman in orange gasped in shock. "Who?! Show me who did it!"

Rhys sighed tiredly, copying what Emerald sometimes did and rubbing the bridge of his nose under his glasses. "Should we assume responsibility?"

The woman in question sighed as well. "Ava, take the guys over to that game you were talking about. I'll take care of this so you don't get in trouble."

"A-are you sure? I mean - "

"Just _go!_ The last thing we need is you getting involved in something like this." She nudged the shorter woman towards the other game stands. "I'll catch up later."

Pierce paused as the others ran past, looking at Emerald. He seemed to have come to a decision. "If it is all right with you, I would like to remain." At her confused look, he elaborated. "You were not feeling well only a short time ago. I do not think it would be wise to leave you to deal with this by yourself."

Emerald seemed about to object, but then shook her head and gave him a warm smile. "Okay then. Looks like you're stuck with me until we get this sorted out." She tossed her chin over towards the group. "What say we go smooth things over?"

He nodded. "Okay."

"Hey, kids?" Emerald approached the group from the side. "Sorry, I couldn't help but overhear someone took your food?"

The woman looked over, sizing her and Pierce up as they came to a stop. "Well, yes. Three ruffians stole the corn dogs my baby and his friends bought right out of their hands!"

"I'm so sorry to hear that!" The veteran crouched down so she was at the boy's height. "Do you know what they looked like?"

He nodded vigorously. "Yeah! One was wearing a black leather jacket, one was wearing a blue shirt with a backwards hat, and the third one had a green shirt and white hair!"

Emerald put on an expression of shock. "Oh no! You know what... I think I know who those guys are."

"You do?"

She nodded and let out a frustrated sigh. "Yeah. It sounds like some friends of mine who are visiting here from overseas." She gave him a sheepish grin. "Their manners aren't always the best. I'm not even sure how they got away from the group, to be honest - "

"Well, what are you going to do about it?" The boy's mother glared at her, hands on her hips. "If it's your friends who are responsible, then you should take some responsibility and make this right." A downright vicious grin appeared on her face. "Or do I need to get the police involved in this?"

Emerald frowned as she stood back up, pulling out her wallet. "That's the whole reason I came over here, ma'am." She pulled out two twenties, giving it to the boy. "This should be enough for all of you to get new corn dogs, as well as some drinks and a few tickets. Does that sound fair to you?"

The woman puffed up indignantly next to her. "Are you trying to _bribe_ my child into not reporting this?!"

The veteran didn't back down. "I was _trying_ to make amends with the kid. I don't know what else you want from me, lady."

She pointed to the small stuffed dragon Emerald had won earlier. "Give him that toy you have. That _might_ be enough to make him forget the trauma he suffered at the hands of your _hoodlum_ friends."

Pierce watched the interaction between the two women. He wasn't entirely sure about some of the terms being thrown around, but he saw Emerald visibly stiffen when the other human said 'hoodlum'. The whole scene was putting him on edge.

Emerald glared at the other woman. "Well, now _that_ would be bordering on extortion. I think the money is more than enough compensation." She turned back to Pierce. "C'mon: let's go see if we can catch up to the others."

Before she could step away, the other woman's hand snaked out and grabbed her tightly around her forearm. "Look at my baby: he's obviously been traumatized by what your friends did to him. Just give him the stuffed animal! Besides, you're too old for toys. Grow up already."

The veteran roughly pulled her arm back, glaring at her. "You are bordering on assault if you keep touching me like that," she growled, stalking away from them and joining the former Daemos general. "Let's get out of here."

As they walked away, Emerald rubbing her arm where the woman had grabbed her, Pierce leaned in close. "What happened?"

She scoffed. "Just some entitled Karen who was trying to take advantage of the situation." At the confused look on his face, she gave him a wry grin and laughed. "That was the boy's mother. She was trying to threaten me - "

As soon as Pierce heard the word "threaten", his gaze went back towards where the woman was still standing. "She wanted to hurt you?" he asked darkly.

"What? _No!"_ Emerald put her hand on his arm, trying to draw his attention away. The _last_ thing she needed now was for a Daemos to start a rampage through the festival grounds. "It was all talk. She was just trying to get me to give her kid extra stuff. It doesn't matter. Please, just forget about it."

He looked over at her, taking in her appearance before his eyes traveled down to her arm. Four long marks were on the skin where the woman had grabbed her, the indents of the woman's nails still visible. "But... she _did_ hurt you."

She followed his gaze. "Oh, this?" The veteran let out a chuckle as she held it up. "Trust me, I've had a lot worse than this. Just leave it and let's go see if we can find everyone else." To show everything was okay, she took his hand and held it as she pulled him along. "C'mon. Ava and the others can't have gotten too far."

* * *

Pierce felt conflicted.

Emerald had said this place was all about having "fun." That the Fall Festival was completely safe and nothing here would hurt them. And yet, that human woman had hurt her. The lines on her arm were getting darker where she'd been grabbed, suggesting it was already starting to bruise...

...but she didn't seem to care. Emerald looked back at him, giving him a soft smile that made him feel calmer somehow. He felt her give his hand a reassuring squeeze as they rounded the corner and halted near one of the benches.

"Why have we stopped?"

She glanced over at him as she took her phone out of her pocket. "I'm gonna text Ava to see if we can find her and the others. I know my reception is sh - ockingly bad, but at least I can let her know I took care of the 'corn dog' incident." She let out a breathy scoff, sitting down heavily on the bench. "Besides, Rhys is with her: he'll help keep things under control."

Pierce nodded as he sat down next to her, but felt an odd spike of jealousy to hear her speak so highly of Lady Grandma's pupil. Shaking it off, he took the opportunity to study her as she focused on the device in her hand. The Daemos noticed a small scar near her right eye, going from the edge of her eyebrow almost to the corner of the eye. It looked very old, as if she'd gotten it as a child and simply grew into it. For the first time, he realized her eyes were actually two colors: brown around the pupils, but fading to an emerald green.

"You just going to stare at me?"

Pierce started as her voice broke him out of his contemplation. "Sorry." He cleared his throat. "We are both often occupied by our duties. It is rare we get the chance to be still like this."

Emerald turned to him and gave another smile. "Yeah, I guess we are." She pushed **Send** on the message, then put the phone away and settled back against the bench. She leaned her head on his shoulder, watching the people walking by.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." She closed her eyes. "It's just been a long day, and I'm feeling a little overwhelmed by some stuff."

Pierce paused, then reached over and gently smoothed her hair. She had left it down today, and some of the turquoise strands underneath were cascading down onto his arm. He held a few softly between his fingers to study them. "Why is your hair two different colors?"

"Hmm?" The veteran cracked open one eye, watching as he played with her hair. "Oh. It's just hair dye: it's a temporary color I've been trying out for a few weeks." She closed her eye again. "Trying to decide if I want to commit to it or not."

"You can change the color of your hair? But... you do not have magic."

"It's not magic. It's just - "

"Excuse me, have you seen some corn dog thieves?"

Pierce saw Emerald's eyes shoot open as they both heard the gruff voice nearby. She sat up, staring at a man in a blue shirt with a bushy mustache speaking to another woman. "No, she wouldn't've... " the woman murmured, eyes going wider as she watched.

The man continued. "Supposedly, some grown men took corn dogs from an angry little child and they were last seen traveling in a pretty sizable group. I also have reason to believe there was a woman with them who stole a carnival prize from the boy as well."

_"That fucking **bitch!"**_ She hopped to her feet, pulling Pierce up by his hand and letting out a disbelieving laugh. "C'mon, we need to get out of here _now!"_ The woman began going back the way they'd come, twisting through the attractions and moving away from the more populated parts of the festival.

"What is wrong?"

"That lady from earlier reported us to the police anyway, even though we gave her son more than enough money for the corn dogs. All because of a stupid stuffed animal... "

"Are we in danger?"

Emerald shook her head, glancing behind them a little manically. "Not if we keep moving and find somewhere to hide." She let out another laugh, feeling giddy. "Hopefully Ava gets my text and figures something out... "

The two of them took off, not realizing Ava and the other Daemos were just on the other side of the giant jack-o-lantern they were running away from.

* * *

"Huh?" Ava glanced down as her phone beeped at her, revealing a new text message: _Hey, took care of the corn dog kid. His mom was a bit of a Karen, but I gave him some money to cover the cost. Pierce and I are heading towards the Midway, but we might be a while. Give me a call if things get too crazy._

"Oh, well _that's_ some good news, at least." She put it away, smiling as Leif successfully rang the bell on the Test-of-Strength game.

The look on the carny's face was absolutely priceless. He had just gone behind the game to "fix" it after Noi had easily rung the bell, probably expecting everyone else to fail. "H-_How?!"_

"Let me try," Asch purred confidently, stepping forward with his hand out to take the hammer.

Ava suddenly heard a nearby voice asking "Excuse me, have you seen some corn dog thieves?"

She spun around, eyes growing wide as she saw a cop talking to a nearby woman. In horror, she realized it was the _exact_ same cop she and the Daemos had run into that first night when she'd tried to dump them at City Hall.

The cop continued. "Supposedly, some grown men took corn dogs from an angry little child and they were last seen traveling in a pretty sizable group. I also have reason to believe there was a woman with them who stole a carnival prize from the boy as well."

"Oh no..." Ava turned to the Daemos. "Guys, we need to leave _now!"_

"Huh?" Noi cocked his head at her.

Rhys looked equally confused. "Why?"

"Just trust me. We can come back to the games in a bit, but first we need to split up before we're caught." She turned to the former assassin. "Leif, you come with me this way. Noi, Asch, Rhys: you all go that way." Ava pointed towards the back of the festival grounds.

"What are we doing?" Asch didn't seem particularly ready to move out.

"Look, if that cop catches us and sees me, I'm sure the press will have a field day with my dad. I have to stay out of trouble in order to help my dad." She gave a quick glance around the Midway, hoping to see Em and Pierce coming back to join them. In frustration, she turned back to the others. "Now listen to me and _do it!"_

"Why me, though?" Rhys still seemed confused.

"Because I trust you to make sure Noi and Asch don't get into trouble. Especially since Em and Pierce aren't here yet."

He grinned in satisfaction. "A very smart choice, that is."

"Shh! Just split! We'll find a way to meet back later!" She nodded to Leif, the two of them taking off towards the front gates of the festival.

Rhys watched her go, then turned around and led Asch and Noi deeper into the carnival grounds.

"Where are we going?" Leif asked her as they kept moving.

Ava turned to answer him, not paying attention to where she was going. "Somewhere where we can lay low and - Ow!" She hissed in pain as she collided with something bodily. She fell down, wincing and rubbing the back of her head.

"Ouchie!" came an answering cry from behind her. "Oh, hey Ava!"

The shorter woman was back on her feet in an instant. "Uh, hey... Lorelai... "

Lorelai jumped up as well. "You actually came!"

"I mean, I, uh... " Ava trailed off, searching for words _'Oh shoot! This isn't how I wanted to run into them. Especially since I have no idea where Em and the others are - '_

"Well, if it isn't Ava herself," came a slightly mocking voice from behind her. She turned as Steve sauntered up, a smug grin on his face. "Miss me?"

_"You."_ Ava muttered a few curses under her breath before turning to Lorelai. "Why are you hanging out with such a jock like _him_, Lorelai?"

"Wellllllll, he's actually my boyfriend," the other woman confessed, grinning happily.

_"**What?!** You_ have a boyfriend?!"

Lorelai giggled happily. "Yep! I thought I told you that."

"I mean, you talk a lot but I don't actually _listen_ so... maybe you did?"

"Are you all right, Ava?" Leif stepped forward, looking her over. "You aren't hurt, are you?"

"Whoa." Steve's eyes went wide. "She actually _does_ have friends." That somewhat mean grin appeared again at the corner of his mouth. "Well, _a_ friend."

"Ooo! And he is a total hottie!" Kristen looked over at her friend, doe-eyed. "You were right, Lorelai!"

"See? Told ya!"

"So, you guys just got here?" Ava resisted the urge to pull out her phone and start frantically calling Em for back-up.

Lorelai nodded. "Yep!"

"We're trying to decide what to do first." Steve looked over at his girlfriend. "Lorelai wants to do the roller coaster, but I'm _starving."_

"If you eat before you do the roller coaster, then you're going to throw up!"

Leif cocked an eyebrow, looking with confusion between everyone. "Roller coaster?"

"Lorelai, _I_ think it's best we go get food. We're all hungry." Steve glanced at the others for confirmation.

"I'm good," Orin piped up nonchalantly.

Kristen nodded in agreement. "Yeah. No worries here."

"What?! Seriously?!"

"It looks like _I_ win," Lorelai sang happily.

"Fine," Steve agreed begrudgingly. "Let's go to the roller coaster."

"Yay! Hey Ava, do you and Leif want to join us? Or were you waiting for the others?" The brunette woman took the time to actually take a good look. "Is Em around here? Are the rest of the guys coming with her?"

"Oh, ah... " Ava paused for a moment, trying to gather her thoughts. "Asch, Noi, and Rhys got distracted, but they're around here somewhere. Em and Pierce took off earlier and I... actually don't know where they ended up at. Em's phone has pretty crappy reception here, so it might be a while until we can find them."

Steve looked like he wanted to say something, but luckily Leif was faster. "I'd like to go on this roller coaster."

"Yay!" Lorelai cheered, running off ahead of the group. "Let's go do it!"

Ava followed along worriedly, scanning the crowd as they passed and hoping to see any trace of Em. As they passed through the festival and got into line at the bottom of the roller coaster, she was equal parts upset and relieved there was no sign of her or the other Daemos.

_'I hope she and the others are doing okay,'_ she thought, glancing at her phone while they waited for their turn to ride. There weren't any new messages, so she took it as a good sign that nothing had gone wrong. _'Besides, Em would call me if something serious was happening.'_

Still, to be safe, she popped off a quick message to the veteran: _About to get on roller coaster with Leif. Overheard cop talking, so Rhys split with others. Grab if you see 'em._ She hit **Send**, hoping it would get through to the veteran's phone.

_"Oh God, I hope the others are going to be all right,"_ Ava muttered under her breath as she put her own phone back in her pocket.

"They'll be fine," Leif spoke up, waving off her concern.

"But you guys freaked out before."

"Because we didn't know where you'd run off to and we didn't have a reliable way to contact you. Em tried, but her phone was being weird."

Ava opened her mouth to speak, but cut herself off as Steve turned around to talk to them. "So, how did you and Em end up with so many guy friends all of a sudden?" He smirked. "I don't remember you mentioning any of them when you were in high school."

"They're actually some of Em's friends from overseas that she met in her Air Force days." She was suddenly glad the veteran had gone through the trouble of establishing an easy alibi for any strange behavior the Daemos might display. "They're here visiting for a while, and she thought we all might enjoy coming to the Fall Festival."

"Yeah, these guys seem like the sort of weirdos she'd attract." He gave a cocky smirk. "But where is she? I haven't seen her since I heard she came back into town and got stuck with you."

"One of the guys wanted to play some more games, and the others got bored and went off on their own." Something about his questions was putting Ava on edge, but she couldn't put her finger on it.

There was an absolutely malicious gleam in Steve's eye. "Oh, so Em's already ditched you and picked one of them to hook up with?" His smirk morphed into an equally unpleasant grin. "Then again, I guess that's the only way she could get a man to stick around, huh?"

"Steve!" Lorelai smacked him in the shoulder. "Stop hassling them!"

"What? I'm just curious as to who could get along with Ava _without_ getting paid for it."

_"Same can be said about you,"_ Ava shot back under her breath.

Leif's eyes suddenly went wide. "I remember you now!" He leaned in close to the shorter woman. _"Just give me the word and he's **dead**,"_ he whispered, eyes narrowing as he acquired his target.

_"Leif, stop,"_ she whispered back.

Before anyone could say anything else, the line was suddenly moving forward. "Hey, it's our turn!" Lorelai called down to them as she ascended the stairs. Steve gave her one last look, but followed his girlfriend without another word.

Ava gasped in shock. "I forgot to prep you! I guess I'm so used to Em doing it, I didn't think about it." She turned to look Leif in the eye. "Look, we're about to go on a machine that's going to possibly scare you. Just let it happen and have fun, all right? Nothing bad can happen."

The former assassin nodded. "Will do." He made his way past her and went straight to the empty front car of the roller coaster. Once settled, he looked at her as she paused outside of the ride. "Something wrong?"

"N-nope! Nothing!" Ava let out a nervous laugh, looking away. _'If I look scared, he'll be scared.'_ She swallowed hard. _'Roller coasters are the **bane** of my existence! Why am I doing this?'_ Steeling herself, she took a deep breath and sat down next to Leif.

* * *

"Okay... I think... we can stop... " Emerald halted, letting go of Pierce as she hunched over and rested her hands on her knees. She knew she was coming stupidly close to another panic attack if she didn't calm down, but it seemed everything today was conspiring to push her closer to that edge. Instead, she took a few deep breaths and stared at the ground in front of her. For some reason, she felt a bit giddy after their close escape from the cop, a few random giggles bubbling out.

A steady hand on her shoulder gently tried to straighten her up. "You should not lean over like that." Pierce knelt down to meet her gaze. "You will breathe easier if you stand."

She let out a wheezy chuckle. "You remembered." The veteran allowed him to help her up, resisting the urge to immediately hug herself. She could feel her muscles shaking as the Daemos softly wrapped his arms around her.

_"Rest your head on me,"_ he whispered softly. She could feel him scanning the area as she complied, closing her eyes as her forehead made contact with his collarbone. _"Just breathe. I will keep watch."_

Emerald sighed, reaching up to clutch the back of his shirt in both hands as she took one deep breath and held it for a few seconds. She let it out slowly, repeating the action a few times until she felt like she was back in control. Her death grip on his shirt slowly loosened.

Pierce must have sensed she was calmer, because he gently placed one of his hands on the back of her head. _"Are you feeling better now?"_

She nodded into his shoulder, turning slightly to look up at him. "Thanks." She let out a tired, annoyed huff. "I'm sorry about all this: I was supposed to help Ava show you guys something fun, but all we've done is run away from things and panic over misunderstandings with other people." Another random giggle bubbled out. "Although, it was a little fun running from that cop just now... even if he didn't know we were even there."

The Daemos stroked her hair as he looked down at her. "I do not blame you for what has happened today." He gave her a soft smile. "This place _does_ seem like it would be fun, if it were just the two of us."

Emerald laughed again. "It'd feel like a real date, yeah." She reached up and put her hand on his cheek. "You know, if it _was_ a date, then I could give you a proper kiss."

Pierce stiffened up, blushing darkly. "You... want to _caress_ me?"

"I mean, if you're comfortable with it." She leaned in a bit closer, her gaze flicking between his eyes and his lips -

\- when her phone suddenly went off. _"Of course,"_ Emerald muttered under her breath, backing off as she pulled it out to see a text message from Ava: _About to get on roller coaster with Leif. Overheard cop talking, so Rhys split with others. Grab if you see 'em._

"What is it?" Pierce looked down at the phone over her shoulder. She suddenly remembered how close he was, so she leaned back into him a little.

"Looks like we found Ava." She held the phone up so he could see the message a little easier. "She and Leif are over at the roller coaster, but had to send Rhys off with the others because of that cop earlier." The veteran let out a small laugh. "We must've been nearby, but just barely missed them."

"What should we do?"

Emerald paused for a moment, then sighed. "The responsible thing to do would be to go find the others." She groaned as she put the phone away, then held her hand out to Pierce. "Shall we?"

He nodded, taking her hand gently in his. She gave it a light squeeze before leading him back the way they'd come, not noticing the blush still tinging his cheeks.

* * *

"Wow, that was fun!"

Pierce looked over as Leif came away from the "roller coaster", carrying an unconscious Ava in his arms. His first instinct was to immediately run over, but Emerald's hand on his arm stopped him.

"She's okay," the taller woman reassured him. "She always does that whenever she rides a roller coaster." She approached the white-haired Daemos. "Looks like Ava had so much fun she passed out."

"Heh, I don't blame her," the former assassin answered, grinning as he came to a stop next to them.

"She's not the only one!" a voice called out from behind. They turned to see Lorelai dragging Steve along, the jock barely moving his feet as his head lolled to the side. "Steve got too excited, too." She turned to Emerald. "But hey, it's great to see you! I'm glad you and Pierce could join us!"

"Maybe _now_ we can get food?" Kristen asked, although her gaze did rest on Pierce for a few seconds. She bit her lip, taking in his appearance.

Orin nodded. "Let's. It'll give Steve and Ava a chance to catch their breath."

"Should we follow them?" Leif looked between Emerald and the group of humans as the others wandered off.

"Of course, silly!" Lorelai giggled, motioning for them to follow. "We're hanging out!"

Pierce began to follow behind Leif and the others, but felt a light pull on his hand along with Emerald saying "Wait." He suddenly remembered she had never let go of it since they'd decided to come back. He turned to face her, trying not to stare too much.

"I'm going to trust you to keep Leif under control while I go look for the others."

He immediately shook his head. "I - "

"Look, I know you're worried." She let out a tired sigh. "I'm not thrilled with it either, but Ava needs someone here to make sure Leif doesn't blow his cover. Until she wakes up, we can't leave them alone." She squeezed his hand gently. "Please. I really need your help with this."

Pierce stepped forward and studied her carefully. She wasn't shaking anymore, but her skin was slightly pale. He cupped her face with one hand, watching as she leaned into his touch and blinked heavily. "If you're sure, then I will stay here."

Emerald smiled at him. "Thank you." She leaned forward and softly _caressed_ him near the corner of his mouth, sending an electric shock through his body. He felt his face heating up as she pulled away, letting go of his hand and walking off towards the large white structure with a giant spider on the side.

The former general watched her go until she rounded the corner, his hand going up to touch where her lips had been. He stood like that for several moments, before he heard Lorelai calling his name. Pierce shook his head, turning to join her and the others even as his thoughts swirled at dizzying speeds.


	25. Chapter 24 - Reaching the Limit

_This is a work of fanfiction. All characters (except Emerald) belong to Aphmau / Jessica Bravura._

_Cover Art belongs to Aphmau / Jessica Bravura._

_Please don't sue me._

* * *

"Ava?"

"Ava..."

"Ava?"

"Ava!"

"Ava?"

Leif clapped his hands together in front of her face, trying to get the shorter woman to snap out of her daze, but it was no use. After a few more attempts, he frowned and gave up as he turned to Pierce. "What happened to her?"

To his surprise, the large Daemos wasn't even paying attention. He was looking back in the direction they'd just come from, his fingers ghosting over the corner of his mouth and his expression one of deep thought. The remnants of a blush tinged his cheeks, something that just made Leif even more confused.

Honestly, it was one of the weirdest things the former assassin had ever seen.

However, Lorelai didn't seem too concerned. "She fainted from the ride, duh!" She gave both Daemos a wide, trusting grin.

"Don't worry. She's not the only one scared of roller coasters." The shaggy-haired guy (Leif was pretty sure his name was Orin) tossed his head towards the other unconscious man on the bench.

"As much as Steve _plays_ the tough guy act, he definitely can't stand them either." The blonde woman pulled out her phone and aimed it at the man. "Snapshot!"

"Kristen!" Lorelai moved in front of her friend, spreading her arms out wide to block her view.

_"Relax_, Lor. I ain't gonna post it. Just wanna shove it in Steve's _face_ when he gets up."

Orin made a sound halfway between a laugh and a scoff. "You _know_ she's going to post it."

"Hey!"

Lorelai sighed. "Yeah, I know. You guys should go get some food or something. We'll catch up with you later."

"R-really?!" The shaggy-haired man suddenly perked up.

"You sure, Lor?" Even as she spoke, the blonde woman turned her attention to Pierce almost hungrily.

"Yep!"

"Suit yourself." She suddenly approached the tall Daemos, who still seemed to be in a daze. "You know... since we got here late, this place will close fairly soon. We should make sure Ava's friends have time to see everything the festival has to offer." The blonde reached out and put her hand on his arm. "What do you say, handsome? Want to see what this place _really_ has to offer?"

At her touch, Pierce snapped out of his thoughts. He looked at her as if noticing her for the first time. "W-what?"

"You don't want to be stuck here waiting on these two nerds to wake up. There are a _lot_ of other things to see." She stepped closer, oblivious to his discomfort.

"I, uh - " He took a step back, removing her hand from him. "I would... prefer to wait here for Emerald to return."

Leif frowned as he watched the exchange. It struck him as odd how Pierce was suddenly so loyal to Ava's guard, but figured it might just be an excuse to stay close to the princess without revealing too much. He considered if he should intervene, but Orin saved him the trouble.

"Hey, come on. He sounds like a puppy waiting for his owner to come back. Leave him alone and let's go get something to eat!" Without waiting for her to reply, he began pushing the blonde woman away from the group.

"Hey wait, you _dork!"_ Her voice faded as they both rounded the corner and out of earshot.

Lorelai sighed. "Good luck, Orin." She turned to Pierce, as something he'd said had caught her attention. "That reminds me... where _did_ Em go?"

"Emerald went to look for the others. They... got distracted and wandered off. They do not have phones, so she is trying to find them."

"Ah, that makes sense. Well, maybe we can go look for them too once Ava and Steve wake up. Speaking of which... " She turned back to her boyfriend, poking him in the shoulder. "You awake yet?" After a few more pokes, she let out a huff. "Oh, darn..." She turned to Leif. "How's Ava?"

Leif leaned in close, then straightened and shook his head. "She hasn't woken up yet, but this is pretty normal for her. She always falls asleep when she's stressed."

"Falls asleep?" She gave him an odd look. "You mean faint, don't you?"

"Uh...y-yeah. That's what I meant."

Lorelai let out a giggle. "That's kind of funny. Steve does the same thing, as you can see." She hummed in thought. "Wait... I think I have an idea! Stay right here." Without giving them a chance to respond, she ran off in the same direction Kristen and Orin had gone only a few moments ago.

Leif watched her go, then turned to Pierce in confusion. "What was _that_ about?"

"I don't know, but maybe we should try to wake Ava." He shook his head, then turned again to look back towards the exit of the roller coaster. "Emerald almost had another panic attack earlier. I do not feel comfortable with her being alone out there right now, even if it is to find the others."

"Oh please, give her _some_ credit. She's always so focused on what she's supposed to do, she'd get it done even if she had a knife sticking out of her." He laughed. "I mean, she tried to follow us that first day after you almost broke half her ribs by smashing her into a wall."

Pierce cleared his throat uncomfortably. "We've... had a discussion about that."

"Oh, _did_ you now?" Leif's interest was piqued. He raised an eyebrow as he leaned forward. "How'd that go?"

"It was... good."

"Come on! You've got to give me more than _that!"_ As the silence between them stretched, the former assassin began to realize the taller Daemos wasn't going to crack. He huffed in frustration, going back to Ava's side. "Now that you mention it, I wonder how the others are doing..."

* * *

All things considered, the other three Daemos were doing very well. Rhys had managed to wrangle them into an unpopulated corner of the park, near the base of the non-functioning Ferris wheel. He kept them behind him as he stood watch, an effort that was... unappreciated by the other two.

Asch threw his head back in frustration. "Gah! This wait is _excruciating!"_

"Can we go back to having fun again?" Noi whined, looking between the other two for validation.

Rhys shook his head. "We need to lay low. We've already made the humans aware of our presence." He let out a soft scoff. _"No thanks to you two and Leif,"_ he added under his breath.

"Can't we just walk around while we wait for Ava or Emerald to find us?" The Daemos prince glanced around, noticing there were no humans nearby.

"No. As long as _I'm_ in charge here in the human world, I'm not letting either of you two out of my sight."

Noi laughed. "But we aren't even in your sight now!"

"It's a figure of speech, Noi. I'm not allowing you two to go far from me."

Behind him, Asch leaned in close to Noi and began whispering fiercely into his ear. The small Daemos had a confused expression on his face at first, but it soon brightened as he understood what the the plan was. _"Ohhhh! Heh, can do!"_ Noi whispered, grinning softly.

Nodding to him, Asch turned to face Rhys. "Ava and Emerald aren't even with us. What harm will it do them for us to go out on our own?"

"Princess Ava has entrusted me with our safety. I don't want to let her down. Besides, Dame Emerald and Pierce do not know what has happened. We should keep an eye out for them as well."

"Since when do you take orders from them?" As he delivered the jeer, the Daemos prince took a few steps to the side.

"They both respect my ability to think before taking action. I highly respect someone who values my intellect."

"Not like that got us far during our battles on Daemos..." Noi teased in an almost sing-song voice.

Rhys rounded on him immediately, almost puffing up indignantly. "I beg your pardon?! Noi: do you even understand who put together our battle tactics?!"

"Hmm... Asch?"

The Daemos prince nodded confidently. "That's right."

"No! Asch just got the plans from me!" The spectacled Daemos turned back around, trying to rein in his temper.

The sing-song taunting from Noi continued. "But Asch directed us through them."

"Because he's our leader! What kind of knight would I be to undermine him?!"

"So... Asch _made_ the battle plans!"

"That's right. I did," Asch purred, taking another few steps off to the side.

"He made some! _Some!_ The majority of the battle tactics are a discussion between myself, Asch, and Rhal. Everyone knows Rhal lacks intelligence!" As Rhys continued to rant, Asch and Noi moved further and further apart from him and each other. "Do you even think for a second that Asch could even - ?!"

"Bye Asch!" Noi interrupted, sounding absolutely bubbly.

_"What?!"_ The spectacled Daemos turned just in time to see Asch running off, laughing maniacally as he rounded the side of the Ferris wheel. "What the - ?!"

While Rhys was distracted, Noi took off behind him in the opposite direction, giggling happily. "See ya'!"

"They... they _fooled_ me!" Rhys's expression darkened as he stared after the others. "We'll see who gets the last laugh... " he growled darkly, all thoughts of Ava and Emerald gone.

* * *

Pierce watched as Leif continued to clap his hands in front of Ava's face, frowning when the woman failed to react in any way. Frustrated, the former assassin turned to him. "Maybe she's dead?"

He shook his head. "She still draws breath, so I doubt it."

"Yeah, but we don't know the anatomy of humans."

"Anna... toe-me?"

"It's a word I learned from my crime show." He suddenly gasped as a thought seemed to occur to him. "Wait, that's it!"

"What's it?"

"I know what to do!" Without hesitation, Leif bent over and lifted Ava in his arms before carefully lowering her to the ground in front of the bench. "I saw this on TV. Also, Ava did this to Asch once and it worked!"

"What worked?"

"I just have to give her 'CCR'!" He knelt down by her side.

"What's... what?" Pierce was beginning to get frustrated. He didn't understand half of what Leif was saying, and the constant interruptions were distracting him.

"Where I basically _caress_ her, but breathe life into her. Watch!" Without a moment of hesitation, Leif leaned forward and covered Ava's lips with his own.

"Leif! _Wait!"_ The tall Daemos watched on, horrified at the scene before him. All he could think of was how Emerald had asked him for permission before she even _attempted_ to give him a _caress_. This blatant disregard for Ava's consent made him feel extremely uncomfortable...

...a feeling that only grew stronger as Lorelai came back with a bottle of water. "I'm baaaack! I - " She cut herself off as she took in the scene before her. "Oh, _my!"_

"It's not what it looks like!" Pierce felt he was losing control of the situation. The overt slurping noises coming from Leif did _nothing_ to calm his nerves. "What are you _doing?!"_

The former assassin rose just enough to answer him. "I'm trying to breathe in! This is my first time trying to 'CCR', her mouth isn't open!"

"Try using your tongue a little!" To Pierce's continued horror, Lorelai seemed to be _encouraging_ this behavior, a dark blush spreading over her cheeks as she watched.

_"What?!"_ Finally unable to bear the scene any longer, he rushed forward and bodily pushed the other Daemos away from her. He immediately backed off, staring down at Ava with worry even as he thought about what Emerald would do if she ever found out about this.

"Hey!" Leif cried out indignantly, glaring at him.

"Enough!" Before Pierce could say anything else, Ava sat up coughing.

"Hey, I did it!" the former assassin cried out proudly, although he looked just as shocked as the others.

"Aww... " Lorelai cooed. "The Kiss of Life."

"Wha - what happened?" the shorter woman asked blearily, looking around.

"It actually _worked?"_ Now Pierce felt more confused than ever. While he was relieved Ava seemed to be okay, the whole situation made him feel dirty just to have witnessed it.

"Ava! So glad you're awake!" The brunette practically purred, giving her a wide smile.

"You're welcome," Leif crooned confidently, a smirk on his face.

"You know what... I'm not even going to _ask_ what happened, because ignorance is bliss!" Ava quickly stood up, then turned to the taller Daemos in surprise. "Pierce? When did you get here?" She took a better look around. "And where's Em?"

"She went to find Rhys and the others, but suggested I remain here and help you control Leif."

She let out a breathy laugh. "Wow, that was a pretty good idea on her part."

"But... I am worried about her. Before we found you again, she nearly had - "

He was cut off as Lorelai dumped the entire jug of water she'd been carrying over Steve. The man woke up sputtering, jumping to his feet as is girlfriend smiled at him. "Morning!"

"Wh-what happened?"

"You passed out again, silly!" She leaned in close and gave him a tiny kiss on the cheek. "I'm just glad you're awake now."

He immediately brushed her off, frowning. "Yeah, whatever." As she turned away in a huff, Steve looked at her in confusion. "What's wrong?"

"Ava's guy kisses _her_ in public," Lorelai grumped. "Why don't you ever do that for _me?"_

Pierce watched the two humans argue with increasing worry. He was getting the impression human 'kissing' was something to be done in private. It made the blatant display Leif had put on earlier sit even more uncomfortably in his stomach, so much so he almost missed the moment when Ava put her hands over her ears to block out the conversation.

Lorelai glared at Steve, running to stand behind the two Daemos. "Don't be jealous you can't be as romantic as _they_ are, Steve!" she taunted, blushing as she glanced between the two of them.

"How do _you_ know they're romantic?"

She pointed to Leif. "Have you _seen _the way he looks at Ava?" She then pointed at Pierce. "And I saw him holding hands with Em earlier when we got off of the roller coaster. Where's that kind of reaction from you toward me?"

Steve sighed. "Lor, we've been together for two years now. Come on, stop being silly."

_"It's not silly..."_ she muttered under her breath, frowning as she looked away.

"This place is about to close in two hours. Do you want to do the Haunted House or what?"

Seeming to instantly get over her frustration with him, Lorelai nodded and followed Steve as he walked off.

"What happened?" Ava asked as she finally lowered her hands from her ears.

"Lorelai seems upset with... Steve." It took Pierce a moment to remember the human male's name.

"Really? Huh..." She shrugged. "Well, it's none of our business! Did they say where they were going?"

"The haunted place, apparently?" Leif didn't seem to understand exactly what it was.

Ava huffed out a groan. "Well, at least it's a place _I'm_ comfortable in." She gave Pierce a serious look. "And honestly, I'm kind of glad Em went off to find the others. From what you told me, she was pretty close to having a panic attack earlier, and she's been on edge all day. Being out here will help her feel better, but we should probably go home once we're done with the Haunted House."

The tall Daemos met her gaze evenly. "Are you sure she will be all right alone?"

She nodded. "Rhys shouldn't have any problems keeping Asch and Noi in line. The two of them should be unstoppable once they meet up." She looked over his shoulder. "Let's get going before Lorelai leaves us behind."

Ava and Leif took off after the others immediately, but Pierce held back. He looked one last time in the direction he'd last seen Emerald, his thumb once again going up to subconsciously touch where she'd _caressed_ him before he shook his head and followed the others. He couldn't shake the feeling leaving her alone had been a mistake.

As it turned out, Pierce's instinct was correct.

* * *

Emerald had been fine at first. A bit tired from earlier, sure, but she'd felt so confident she could power through it long enough to find Rhys and the others. The Fall Festival wasn't too big, there were obvious boundaries the Daemos would understand they couldn't get around, it wasn't as crowded as she remembered it being in the past -

The veteran stopped herself, leaning against a nearby barrel decoration. This wasn't good: her thoughts were beginning to spin, making her feel like she was caught in the middle of a tornado while everything zipped by just out of reach. Instead, she closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths. _'I just need to find Rhys. That's it. Focus on that.'_

It helped a little, but not nearly as much as earlier. She could feel her hands starting to shake and forced them into tight fists, using the pain of her nails against her palms as a focal point.

_"When I catch you two, you'll be sorry you even **dared** to insult me as such!"_

Her eyes shot open in shock._ 'That's... Rhys. I've never heard him sound so angry.'_ She forced herself to straighten up, surveying the area for any signs of movement. A blur of blue near the Ferris wheel caught her attention, along with the telltale panicked screams from Noi.

"Oh... oh no." Emerald watched as Rhys chased Asch and Noi into the 'Exit' of the Haunted House. Of _all_ the places they could've gone, of course it _had_ to be there...

She felt her breath catch in her chest as she took a few slow steps forward. Her fists clenched tighter, and she became aware of something wet in her grasp. _'No. No time to think about that. Get Rhys, get the others, get out of there.'_

Emerald shook her head as she forced herself to run after them. The last thing she needed now was for them to cause some sort of incident. She let out a small, crazed huff of laughter: to think, she'd been worried about _Pierce_ going to a rampage, only for it to be _Rhys_ in the end...

* * *

Meanwhile, the others were waiting patiently in the line for the Haunted House. Ava had been listening to Pierce describe how Em was acting earlier, so it caught her off guard when Lorelai tapped her lightly on the shoulder. "Ava, is it all right if Steve and I go in together?"

"Knock yourselves out!" The shorter woman smiled at them, somewhat relieved they wouldn't all have to go through together. It'd make it easier for her to keep Leif and Pierce under control if she wasn't also distracted by making sure Lorelai and Steve weren't getting suspicious about anything.

As the others made their way inside, she turned back to the Daemos. "Okay, you two: inside, we're going to be going through a maze. There's going to be some spooky things popping up at us, but again... they're just humans in costumes. Nothing to be scared about."

"Should we kill anything if we feel threatened?" Leif piped up, furrowing his eyebrows.

"No."

"But - "

"If you do that, I won't _ever_ consider you for marriage." She was satisfied to see the former assassin look absolutely horrified, but noticed Pierce didn't seem as concerned as she would've expected. Then again, he wasn't the one she was worried about running rampant through the attraction, so she chalked it up to him still being worried about Em.

"Next!" called the attendant.

"Three please," Ava announced pleasantly, giving him the tickets. She was positive her ultimatum would be enough to keep them in check, although there was still a vague feeling of worry she couldn't brush aside so easily. Instead, she shook her head and led them inside.

Dark hedges with light-up red eyes stared down hungrily at them from above, smoke from a fog machine rolling out from the central arch to curl around their ankles. As they made their way through the entrance and came to the first hallway, Ava let out a nervous laugh as the fog grew thicker. "Hey, this isn't bad at all!" she squeaked out.

_**"Booooooo!"**_

All three of them screamed as a floating ghoul came rushing out from behind them, arms raised threateningly as it leered closer. Without a second thought, the group scattered into the maze, trying to get away from the specter.

After what felt like hours, Ava slid to a stop as she hit a dead end. She crouched down, hoping whoever was chasing her had lost her in the twisting hallways.

No such luck. They loomed over her as they approached, letting out a guttural howl as they came in close... whereupon Ava jumped up and shrieked, closing her eyes as she punched them in the face. It was a testament to how well Em had drilled some of those self-defense lessons into her since the Daemos had first started living with them.

The poor actor immediately collapsed to the floor, groaning softly. "Oh my God, I'm _so_ sorry!" She pulled the mask off of his face, noting he seemed to be okay. Just unconscious. As she stood there, silently panicking over what to do, she heard a sobbing voice call out _"What?!"_ from nearby. It was enough for her to sneak over and peek around the corner.

Steve and Lorelai were standing in a darkened hallway off the main path, the latter's face covered in tears as the former stood there, unmoved.

"I'm breaking up with you, Lorelai."

"B-but _why?_ I... I just wanted to hold your hand, and..."

"Lorelai, it's... it's just..." He sighed, pausing before he started again. "It's not you, it's me. I didn't want to do it here, I... was going to wait. But it's just becoming hard to get along with you. You just want too much affection that I just can't give you, and I think it's best if we start seeing other people."

"I... can't believe this is happening." Lorelai sounded completely broken. "Why are you _doing_ this?"

"Lor, you're a great girl. You have spunk and charisma and a lot of people like you, but for me... you're... you're just... too much. We've been together for a while and I'm starting to think about my future."

"So I'm _not_ in your future?"

Steve shook his head. "No."

Lorelai sniffled sadly as she stared at her feet.

Ava slowly backed away, frowning. _'Wow. I always knew Steve was a d-bag, but for him to do this now?'_ She went back the way she'd come, stunned when Pierce and Leif came skidding to a stop right before they ran over the unconscious actor's body.

"Princess Ava! _There_ you are!" the former cried out in relief, heaving a visible sigh.

"Hey, I thought you said we couldn't punch 'em!" Leif scoffed indignantly, pointing at the man on the floor.

"I didn't, I - wait!" Ava cut herself off as an absolutely wicked idea occurred to her. She glanced back down at the actor. "Gimme that costume!"

"Please, Steve! It can't end like this!" Lorelai took a step forward, but was stopped when he put his hand on her shoulder.

"Yes it can, Lor. I'm sorry." He let go of her when he heard the sound of footsteps approaching from behind. He turned, surprised to see one of the actors from the set walking right up to him. "Huh?"

"Boo." Before Steve could react, the figure hauled back and punched him in the face, knocking him out before he hit the floor.

As Lorelai gasped in shock, Leif gave a wild whoop of delight. "Yeah, _that's_ what I'm talkin' about!" He ran forward and began repeatedly punching the unconscious man in the head while Pierce looked on, horrified at the situation.

"Stop! He doesn't deserve that!" Lorelai wiped the tears from her eyes, taking a step forward.

The former assassin backed off as Ava removed the costume, facing her friend. "Yes he does!"

"Ava?" She tilted her head in confusion.

Before anyone could respond, the sounds of Noi screaming in panic and Asch shouting "Rhys, we're _sorry!"_ came to their ears. The two Daemos in question came to a halt behind the others, staring between them all in shock. "Ava?!" squeaked out the Daemos prince.

"Asch?!"

"Asch! Noi!" the spectacled Daemos roared as he stepped out from the opposite side, his eyes and hands glowing brightly as he summoned clouds of white magic. "Prepare to face - !"

_**"Rhys!"**_ Emerald came running up behind him, emerging from the same hallway he'd appeared from. She threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around his chest from behind as she narrowly avoided the icy magic pouring from his hands. "S-st-stop... " she stuttered out, holding on as if her life depended on it. Her chest hitched as she gasped audibly, struggling to catch her breath.

"E-Emerald!" the spectacled Daemos cried out, immediately dismissing the magic so he wouldn't hurt her. He stood there stunned as she held on to him, feeling her leaning heavily against him. His nose caught the coppery scent of human blood and he felt something wet beginning to soak through the front of his shirt.

Lorelai's eyes went wide as she stared at them. "Magic?!"

_"Leif!"_ Ava looked to the former assassin, flicking her eyes over towards the other woman.

Luckily, he immediately picked up on the hint. "On it!" He phased over, knocking Lorelai out in one smooth motion.

"Ju -" Emerald's words trailed off as her eyes rolled up towards the ceiling. Rhys felt her grip on him slipping as her knees buckled and she began to fall backwards. He turned around, reaching for her -

\- only for her body to stop as Pierce suddenly appeared, gently holding her close as he supported her. "Emerald!" he cried, shifting his grip slightly as he lifted her into a bridal-style carry. She didn't respond, head hanging limply back over his arm. Her rapid breathing was the only sound in the room as everyone stared on in stunned silence.

Rhys came closer, hand going immediately to her neck to check her pulse. "Her heartbeat is incredibly fast," he murmured as he examined her eyes. "I do not believe she in conscious."

Ava ran over next, staring at the front of Rhys's shirt. "Where did that blood come from?!"

He looked down in shock, finally noticing the two smears on his clothes where the veteran had grabbed him. "I-I'm not sure."

The shorter woman reached over and carefully grabbed one of the veteran's hands, squinting at it in the dim light. "Looks like she cut her hands on something."

Pierce shifted his grip, bringing Emerald's body slightly upright so her head was leaning on his shoulder. "We need to get her outside so we can assess her injuries properly. The air feels too heavy in here."

As if to accentuate his point, Emerald jerked forward as she regained consciousness, gasping loudly. She curled up into a ball, her fingers digging into the strap of Pierce's shirt. _"Can't... **breathe..."**_ she wheezed, her chest spasming as she began to hyperventilate.

Ava looked to the rest of the group. "Rhys, you get everybody else outside. Pierce and I need to get Em out of here _now."_ She tapped the tallest Daemos on the shoulder, nodding towards the exit. "Let's go." Barely waiting for a reply, the two of them ran out.

* * *

Noi let out a worried noise, looking between the other Daemos as they sat waiting outside the Medical Tent. "D-do you think Emerald is okay?"

Rhys shook his head noncommittally, dabbing at the last of the blood on his shirt with a wet cloth one of the medics had given him. "We won't know until they come out, but I am sure she will be fine. She is with the healers."

Leif let out a disbelieving laugh. "_I_ can't believe she actually chased after you, Rhys! Especially since you were so pissed off!"

Asch nodded, oddly subdued. "It's... rather impressive how determined she was to fulfill her duty. Even _I_ wouldn't have grabbed you from behind like that. She's lucky you were able to control yourself."

The smallest Daemos got up, pacing back and forth. "Shouldn't they have come out by now?" He let out a frustrated huff. "And why did Pierce have to stay in there?!"

"You've seen how Dame Em - " Rhys caught himself, sighing as he started again. "We've all seen how Emerald gets after she has one of these 'episodes.' The last time it happened, she refused to let go of Pierce, no matter what we did." He looked around, then discreetly used a tiny bit of magic to remove the last of the blood.

"But, it seemed really bad this time." Noi swallowed hard. "She was _bleeding..."_

"Because she cut the palms of her hands with her nails. Ava said it's something Emerald used to do to focus herself, but since she was already so stressed out today, she pushed too hard and broke the skin."

"But - !" He was cut off as the flap to the Medical Tent opened.

Ava and Lorelai came out first, the latter looking a bit better, although her eyes were still red and puffy from the crying she'd been doing earlier. Pierce followed closely behind, carefully carrying Emerald in his arms. Her face was buried in the crook of his neck, two strips of white bandages wrapped around her hands.

The others ran over immediately, but Ava held up a hand. "Let's... get out of here. We're done with the carnival for today." At the hurt looks they gave her, she shook her head. "We'll talk outside the gates. Just don't bombard Em with a bunch of questions right now."

* * *

After a short walk, they all found themselves gathered in a small circle outside the entrance.

Lorelai turned to Ava, her appearance one of exhaustion. "You... didn't have to do that, Ava."

She quickly brushed off the other woman. "Nah. It was... cringy to see that." She gave a cautious grin. "Besides, no one disses you like that except me."

The brunette responded with a weak chuckle. "Thanks."

"You sure you're gonna be all right?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine. To be honest... I saw this coming. I think I just need time." Lorelai turned to Emerald, carefully putting a hand on her arm. "You feeling any better, Em?"

The veteran looked over at her blearily, giving a heavy blink before she closed her eyes again.

Pierce adjusted his grip, holding her a little closer and resting his chin on top of her head. "She is still weak from the medicine they gave her."

Lorelai nodded, looking between the two of them sadly. "You know, you guys _are_ pretty cute together. I hope you remember what I told you all at the movies a few weeks ago: don't make her feel like a second choice." Her eyes began to tear up again. "Trust me... I know how _that_ feels."

As the other woman turned to start crossing the parking lot, Ava felt the need to call out to her. "Hey! Lorelai! You wanna... hang out... next week? Since, you know... that's what friends do?"

She turned back in shock. "A-Ava?" She grinned widely. "Heck _yeah,_ I do! I thought you'd _never_ ask!"

"All right then. I'll text ya'..."

Lorelai practically squealed in delight. "Yay! See you all later!"

Noi watched her go, then turned to Ava. "Huh. I thought you didn't want to hang out with her before?"

"Yeah, but... I changed my mind. Humans are like that, you know. Can't ever predict them." Ava motioned for the others to follow. "Come on: we'd better get Em home. She could use some rest after the day we just put her through."


	26. Chapter 25 - Chance at a New Start

_This is a work of fanfiction. All characters (except Emerald) belong to Aphmau / Jessica Bravura._

_Cover Art belongs to Aphmau / Jessica Bravura._

_Please don't sue me._

* * *

Emerald woke up slightly confused.

She was in her room, but she had absolutely no memory of how she'd ended up here. She felt safe in her bed, the heavy weight of her comforter pressing onto her from above as she lay on her left side and looked out her window. It was still fairly early: the sun was just barely peeking over the buildings. Hazy images from the day before flittered through her head as the veteran tried to recall what had happened.

Magic. Panic. Darkness.

Emerald sighed, closing her eyes and snuggling down further into her covers. It was confusing, but pieces were starting to come back. For whatever reason, Rhys had been angry with Asch and Noi, so much so he chased them into the Haunted House. He'd even been ready to attack them when she'd grabbed him from behind. Then...

She frowned, furrowing her brows as she tried to remember. Rhys had stopped, she knew that much...but what happened next? The veteran made a fist in frustration, inhaling sharply at the pain that shot through her hand and forced her eyes back open.

Slowly, she brought her right hand out from under the comforter and studied it, a bit surprised to see a few bandages wrapped around her palm. A few more pieces of yesterday came back, causing her to groan in frustration.

_'Public panic attack. Fucking fantastic.'_

A large hand came to softly rest on top of her head. _"Emerald? Are you awake?"_

The veteran froze, feeling her body tense instantly. Reflexively, her hands curled into fists again, bringing a soft cry of pain and a quiet curse.

"Emerald?" The voice grew a little louder. She felt movement behind her on the bed, realizing part of the heavy weight on her body was actually an arm slung across her waist. A hand reached up and took hers, gently working the thumb between her fingers and straightening them out. "Please be careful. You have not yet healed from yesterday."

"Pierce?" She let out the breath she didn't know she'd been holding, allowing herself to relax a bit as she forced her other hand open under the sheets. She idly rubbed her thumb over his, fingers curling back down a little. "Have you been here all night?"

The veteran felt him nod as he removed his other hand from her head and propped himself up. She rolled onto her back to see him looking down at her, studying her face with an expression of worry. "You have been asleep for quite a while, but Ava assured us it was normal. What do you recall?"

Emerald paused, trying to remember more of the previous day. "I...had a panic attack. In the Haunted House. Rhys was..." She let out a soft scoff. "He was _pissed_ about something." Pierce nodded, encouraging her to continue. "I ran up and...grabbed him. Made him stop. Then..." she trailed off, frowning as more memories started coming into focus. "I couldn't breathe. It was dark, I couldn't see anything." She felt her chest tighten as she recalled the events. "I couldn't _breathe -"_

"Emerald." His tone of voice made her focus on his face again. He took the hand he was holding and held it against his chest. "Look at me. Do not think about anything else right now. Just breathe with me."

She did as he asked, focusing on his azure eyes as she took a deep breath and held it for a few seconds before letting it out. The longer she stared, the more it felt like she was sinking into water off the shore of some tropical island. After repeating it a few times, she sighed and closed her eyes.

"Are you calmer now?"

The veteran huffed out a tired laugh. "Yeah, actually." She looked at him again. "Sorry I made you stay here. I know you don't like how soft human furniture is."

Pierce gave her a small grin. "It's not so bad when I'm with you." He laid down next to her again, pausing for only a moment before wriggling his left arm under her pillow and pulling her close, rolling her onto her right side to face him. He rubbed her back as he rested his forehead against hers. _"You should rest more,"_ he whispered. _"Let me know if you need anything."_

In response, Emerald snuggled closer and gave his hand a gentle squeeze. _"Thank you."_

* * *

Ava was surprised when she woke up around nine in the morning. Instead of getting up, she lay in bed, thoughts racing around her head as she went over everything that'd happened since the Daemos had shown up last month. Eventually, she came around to yesterday's incident at the Fall Festival.

_'I should really check on Em,'_ she thought, but made no move to get up. After everything that had happened yesterday, she wouldn't be surprised if the veteran just wanted to hide in her room all day. It wasn't just so she could recover from the attack and medicine she'd been given, but she was also undoubtedly feeling a bit embarrassed about the whole incident...if she even remembered it.

She found herself smiling a bit as she thought back to everything that happened once they got home. _'I forgot how clingy she gets after one of these. Hope she didn't crush Pierce last night.'_ That thought made her actually laugh a little. _'Not like there's any risk of that actually happening. She picked the biggest one of the bunch.'_

A sudden knock at the door startled Ava out of her thoughts. She looked over at her phone, surprised to find nearly an hour had already passed since she'd first woken up. _'Still, it's a little early for Em to be checking on me. Hope everything's okay.'_

The short woman sighed, hauling herself out of bed. It was somewhat encouraging the Daemos were beginning to knock before just barging into her room, moreso that whoever was out there now was actually waiting for her to come open the door herself. _'Looks like those lessons are paying off after all.'_ She opened the door, unsurprised to see Rhys standing there. "Rhys?"

"Princess Ava." The spectacled Daemos gave her a courteous nod. "Dame Emerald requested I come get you. She said she would like to speak with you."

"Oh. Yeah, no problem. Thank you." As she walked down the hallway, she was a little surprised to see Pierce was only just now leaving the veteran's room. _'He actually stayed with her all night? I'm surprised Asch let him do that.'_ She nodded to him as they passed, receiving a similar acknowledgement back.

Ava stopped and knocked on the door. "Em? You wanted to talk?"

"Come on in."

She entered the room, closing the door softly behind her. The taller woman was sitting on the edge of her bed, facing the door. She was staring down at the bandages on her hands, absentmindedly rubbing her right hand.

"Hey, how you feeling?" Ava studied her a little closer, noting the taller woman had already gotten changed and brushed her hair.

"Tired. Hungry." Em let out a small chuckle. "Quietly dying of embarrassment inside over what happened yesterday." She indicated the space next to her. "Sit with me: this might take a while."

"Sure." Ava studied her face as she took her place at her side. Em _did_ look pretty worn out, but that was only to be expected after the shenanigans from the day before. "I had a feeling something was up. You've been stressed out for days."

A sigh. "Yeah, you could say that." She sat up a little straighter, finally turning to face Ava directly. "We need to talk about this whole...living situation."

"You mean the Daemos? I -"

"No, not them. I mean, yeah, it's been weird having them here, but this is something that's been coming since before they showed up." Em took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. "I'm moving out."

"Wait, **_what?!"_**

Em held up one hand. "Look, I _know_ this seems like it's coming completely out of left field, but if you give me some time I can explain exactly what happened." When Ava didn't voice any objections, she continued. "Back at the beginning of October, about two weeks ago, I got an email from my work. They've been floating the idea of having me come into the office and work a regular, full-time job there for a few months now."

"Well, what's the problem with that?" Ava grinned at her. "It sounds like a really big opportunity!"

"The office is on the other side of the country."

The grin fell instantly. "Oh." She tried to bring it back up. "Well, I mean, at least you have some time to think it over and stuff, right?"

Em shook her head. "They want me out there by November 1st, or else I won't have a job anymore. They gave me all of October off so I could make the trip and get settled before getting back to work." She swallowed hard. "It...never seemed like there was a good time to talk about this with you, especially with everything that's been going on with the Daemos and your Dad's campaign."

The shorter woman stared down at her own hands, picking her nails nervously. Of all the things Em could've told her, this was the _last_ thing she'd seen coming. Suddenly, her earlier fears of being left behind and alone reared up, threatening to make her cry. She squeezed her hands into fists as her vision blurred.

"Ava? Talk to me?" The veteran cautiously put her hand on her shoulder, but didn't make any further moves. "I know it's a lot to take in, and I know I can be a little blunt sometimes, so -"

Ava jumped up, startling her. "I need some time alone." Without waiting for her to respond, she ran to the door and threw it open. She heard Em standing up behind her, but was too upset to stop. Instead, she plowed past the Daemos as they stared at her in shock, almost diving back into her room and slamming the door shut behind her.

All she wanted was to be left alone.

* * *

As it turned out, being alone did absolutely _nothing_ to improve Ava's mood.

She emerged from her room the next day, bringing the dirty dishes from the peace meals Em had left outside her door yesterday and putting them in the sink. As she passed by the living room, she observed all five Daemos gathered around the TV, seemingly oblivious to the fact she had finally come out.

The veteran herself was nowhere to be seen. _'Probably packing up stuff in her room,'_ Ava thought bitterly, feeling tears pricking at the corner of her eyes before she quickly scrubbed them away with her arm.

She refocused her attention on the Daemos. For some reason, seeing them so absorbed in their show that they didn't even notice her made her feel even worse. She stalked over, only growing more frustrated as they didn't even glance in her direction, even when she was standing right next to the screen.

_"I don't need your love, Deku. I just need... EXPLOSIONS!"_

Just as the explosion in question sounded, Ava smacked the top of the TV. It clicked off, shaking all of them from their stupor as they leapt to their feet and let out various cries of disappointment.

"Where did _you_ come from, Prisoner?!" Asch stared at her in shock.

Noi let out a little squeak of panic. "She looks mad!"

"What happened?" Rhys looked confused at her anger.

"Is it Emerald? Is she all right?" Pierce looked at her, then back down the hallway towards the veteran's room.

"Uh, is this about the trash? We thought it was your day to take it out." Noi let out a little smirk, confident he'd discovered the truth.

Asch nodded slowly. "We... did agree on that."

"Hey! What happened to the TV?" Leif only just now seemed to be getting over his surprise that the show wasn't playing anymore.

Ava glared at them all stoically, arms crossed over her chest. "We need to talk."

"Oh no! That's what Courtney said to Ryan before she broke up with him after solving the murder!"

Asch did an almost-comical double-take at the former assassin. "Wait! You watched that episode without _me?!"_

"Uhh..."

"I don't really care about your TV shows at this point! It's obvious you guys are getting super addicted to TV: that's beside the point!" Ava took a deep breath. "We need to talk about what happened this past weekend."

Pierce studied her. "We went to the carnival."

"It was pretty fun." Leif grinned.

"...except when Emerald hurt herself."

Ignoring them, the short woman fixed her gaze on the spectacled Daemos. "Rhys: you _know_ what I'm talking about."

"Uh... no idea!"

"No, we need to talk about it! You were using your magic, Rhys! Specifically when Em and I trusted you _not_ to!"

"Um...y-yes...but I had a good reason to."

Ava glared at him, hands on her hips and eyebrows raised. "Look, I don't _care_ what reason you had for using your magic. You were blatantly using magic in front of others! And do you know what the repercussions of doing that is?!"

Asch waved her off almost dismissively. "Why does it matter? Humans have magic. You use it all the time in front of us."

"I have to agree with Asch. Human magic isn't as flashy as Daemos magic, but it has power in its own." Leif laughed a little. "For as much fuss Emerald makes over not having any magic of her own, she sure knows how to wield the little she actually _does_ have."

"It's truly not worth you getting upset over."

"I _have_ to get upset over it!" The Daemos stared at her blankly, only making Ava feel more frustrated. She felt tears in her eyes as she continued. "They'd take you guys _away_ from me if they found out!"

Noi shook his head and gave her a little smile. "Princess Ava, I think we're more than okay."

"Noi is correct. Nothing has happened to us here. We can safely say that Earth is a place where we don't have to worry about the, uh... hostility." Rhys swallowed hard. "Although, I will be the first to admit our presence here has caused both you and Emerald unnecessary stress."

Pierce met her gaze evenly. "Are _you_ all right, Princess Ava?"

Instead of answering, she looked at each Daemos in turn. She shook her head, stepping off of the coffee table and storming off. However, instead of going to her own room, Ava stalked her way down the hallway to Emerald's room. She looked back at them one last time before disappearing inside, slamming the door behind her.

"What was _that_ about?" Leif asked after a brief beat of silence.

Noi shook his head. "I don't see what the problem is. Nothing bad has truly happened since we got here."

"I agree. Regardless, we should respect Ava's wishes." Rhys started walking away from the couch.

Pierce watched him go, cocking his head in confusion. "Where are you going?"

"To apologize. Princess Ava and Dame Emerald have been nothing but hospitable to us since we arrived. The least _I_ can do is apologize." Rhys turned to go, but paused and turned back to face Asch. "Your Highness, I truly believe we need to make plans to return to Daemos soon. We...truly have outlasted our stay." With a final nod, he turned and continued his way down the hallway.

After watching the spectacled Daemos go, Noi turned back to the others. "Um, well...?"

"We, um... we'll make plans after the show is over." Asch answered, sounding tired and oddly resigned.

* * *

Rhys paused outside Emerald's room. While he was worried about the two women (especially Ava), he knew they both appreciated when the Daemso showed some restraint and asked permission before entering. He knocked gently on the door. "May I come in?"

There was a brief, soft exchange of whispers before he heard the veteran call out her consent. Satisfied, he opened the door and went in...

...only to stop dead in his tracks in the doorway. The shelves in Emerald's room were already empty, the contents in several boxes scattered across the floor. Nothing remained on the walls, and the pieces of her computer were not where they usually were on the desk.

However, more concerning was the sight of Ava lying on Emerald's bed, her head on one of the taller woman's pillows. The latter was sitting next to her, gently stroking her hair while the small Johnny spirit curled up into his mistress's side. The veteran met his gaze evenly, seemingly daring him to make some sort of comment not related to why he'd entered the room.

He took the hint, instead clearing his throat and continuing on with his original purpose for coming inside. "Princess Ava, Dame Emerald. I wanted to express how sorry I am for what I did. I didn't mean to -"

"You guys are real...right?" Ava interrupted, her voice barely more than a whisper.

It caught him off guard. "Huh? I beg your pardon?"

"When you guys first showed up, I _swore_ I was dreaming. I was certain that when I woke up, you guys would be gone. But you guys were still here. Every time I woke up, you guys were around. Believe it or not, you all gave me the confidence to go outside. It's not just you, Rhys: the others are guilty too of doing stupid things that would get you guys taken away. It's just...I don't want to lose you all."

"What?!"

"Nothing, nothing. I'm just...upset, that's all. Again, it's not just you, Rhys. I appreciate you more than anyone. I'm just...emotional, I guess."

Emerald looked up at the Daemos. "I...just got news I'm being...reassigned to a new duty. It's been a bit of an adjustment for both of us, since it's happening fairly soon." She sighed, returning her gaze to Ava. "It's why we've both been so on edge, especially the last few days."

Rhys furrowed his eyebrows in concern, his gaze flicking between them. "Is there anything I can do to help you two?"

"No thank you," Ava murmured, closing her eyes.

"I can, perhaps, cook you something? At least, something I _know_ how to make."

"I'm not hungry."

"Thank you for the offer, but we're okay for now," Emerald added, even as both women's stomachs grumbled loudly. "I'll take care of it in a bit."

The spectacled Daemos shook his head. "Humans eat more than we do. I'll...make you something anyway." He turned and went back to the kitchen, leaving the door slightly ajar behind him.

* * *

A few minutes later, both women were seated at the kitchen island watching Rhys cook.

"When did you learn how to make pasta?" Ava asked, peering over the counter to watch what he was doing.

"It's called spas-ghetti," Rhys piped up, turning around with two bowls. He placed both on the counter in front of them with a small flourish.

Ava let out a laugh. "Yeah, that."

"It was one of the first things I taught him to cook." Em gave her a small smile. "I learned how to make it with my mom, and it doesn't require cutting anything, so I figured it was a safe place to start." She turned her smile to the Daemos. "He's an excellent student."

Rhys smiled back in appreciation. "Thank you."

"Hurry, Rhys! The show's about to start!" Leif called from the living room.

"Coming!" Almost as soon as he'd answered, he looked back to the two women. "Uh...do you mind?"

Ava shook her head. "Not at all."

"Go ahead," Em agreed, tossing her head back towards the others. "I'll clean up when we're done."

Nodding in gratitude, Rhys ran off to join the others.

Both women ate in silence for a few moments, before the veteran finally broke it. "So, I've been thinking about something..."

"What's on your mind?" Ava asked around a mouthful of pasta.

"Do you want to come with me? When I drive out there, I mean."

There was a brief moment of panic as the shorter woman almost choked on her food, but she managed to swallow it. "Wh-_what?!"_

"I'm sorry! I know this is sudden, but...hear me out? Please?" Em stared at her pleadingly. With a nod from the other woman, she continued. "Look, I know you've been really stressed out with everything going on with your Dad's campaign and making sure you don't do anything to jeopardize it and all that jazz."

Ava let out a short laugh. "You're not wrong there," she admitted.

"So, why not just...get away from it all for a while? Pack up some clothes, bring along Johnny, travel a bit? It might be just the thing you need to figure out what you want to do next." The veteran gave her a grin. "Plus, you wouldn't have to worry about anyone recognizing you or wondering if what you're doing would reflect badly on your Dad. And, who knows? Maybe you'll find out a new city is exactly the kind of fresh start you need."

The short woman chewed thoughtfully on her pasta. "I mean...it's a very tempting offer." She glanced over her shoulder into the living room. "But what about them?"

Em stabbed at her bowl, furrowing her eyebrows. "I think they're getting ready to leave soon, based on the way they've been behaving and talking lately." She met Ava's eyes. "I don't want to leave you here alone, especially after that earlier confession you made to Rhys. It's more than just the promise I made to your parents: I consider you a friend."

Ava smiled back at her. "I'll...I'll think about it." She laughed. "I have to admit, it sounds scary. But, at the same time, kind of exciting."

"Well, that's all I can ask for at this point. But, for now..." The veteran pulled out her phone, opening up a rental app as she placed it in between them on the counter. "...care to give me your opinion on some of these apartments? I've got it narrowed down to about ten, but it'd be nice to get your input."

Both women soon got lost in conversation, opening more apartment listings and even a few house rentals on Ava's phone to compare prices, features, and locations. Before they knew it, the bowls were empty and almost an hour had passed. "Guess we were hungrier than we thought," Ava quipped.

Em looked up from her phone and grinned. "We'll have to make sure to thank Rhys after their shows are over." She tossed her head over towards the trash as she stood, sliding her phone into her back pocket. "Can you please take that out? I'll clean up the kitchen."

"I guess it _is_ my turn to take out the garbage," she admitted, standing up and going over to the trash bag near the fridge. The shorter woman picked it up and started towards the front door, although she did pause to look back.

Em was already gathering up the dishes and loading them into the dishwasher. The Daemos were once again absorbed in the TV, oblivious to everything going on around them. The sight was ...comforting, somehow. It made Ava feel like she had something to fall back on, even if it was a bit hectic at times.

She smiled as she walked out. _'Maybe Em's on to something, after all. Maybe a fresh start is **exactly** what I need right now...'_

* * *

Zex watched the two human males run off in their undergarments as he adjusted their clothes he'd taken on his own body. A nearby burned tree caught his attention, only for how out-of-place it seemed compared to the others nearby.

He squinted at it with his good eye, catching the faintest traces of magic coming from the burned-out husk. _'That tree was not felled by a human,'_ he thought, studying it closer. There was a barely-detectable smell, but it confirmed his suspicions.

_'They definitely came this way, but I need to become assimilated before I can begin my search.'_

As he surveyed the area, Zex was pleasantly surprised to see a small human female come running around the corner. She appeared not to notice him as she carried a bag towards a large container against the back of the nearby building. He summed her up quickly with a glance. _'She is small. She will do nicely.'_

He made his way over to her side, holding back the urge to smile when she gasped in shock and fell over as he surprised her.

"Who...who are you?" the human female squeaked out, staring up at him in what he sensed was the slightest bit of fear.

"I'm lost," he answered simply, finding it harder to restrain himself at how easy of a target she was. "I do not know this place. Can you help me?"

As she stared back up at him, the wind changed direction and brought the smell of something _very_ familiar to Zex's nose. _'That scent!'_ He studied her more closely, eye going wide as he considered his good fortune. _'This female doesn't seem a threat, but she stinks of Daemos magics. She **must** have been in contact with -'_

"What's your name, again?" The human female still hadn't regained her footing, but now she was looking at him with suspicion.

"My name is Zex. I'm lost and don't know where I am." He calmed himself, taking a deep breath and recentering himself. It seemed impossible, but this human might be _exactly_ what he needed to complete his mission.

"Where are you from?"

He didn't answer, choosing to remain silent. If he looked confused, she might take pity on him. _'A common weakness of humans,'_ he thought in disgust.

The small human female let out a soft chuckle as she stood. "You know, you remind me of some friends that I know."

"Really?" It took everything in him not to let his expression slip into a grin.

She nodded. "Yeah. Um, I can help you. After all, the last time I helped someone...or rather, _someones_, my life became happier." The human gave him a soft smile as she reached into her pocket -

\- only to bring it back empty. "Oh _shoot_, I forgot my phone." She paused, as if debating something. "Well, I can let you borrow it. Just follow me." When he didn't move immediately, she paused and turned back to him. "Come on: this way," she motioned, giving him a trusting smile as she exposed her back to him.

Zex finally let the grin find its way onto his face. He couldn't believe the luck he was having so far. _'This is all too easy...'_


	27. Chapter 26 - Everything Changes

_This is a work of fanfiction. All characters (except Emerald) belong to Aphmau / Jessica Bravura._

_Cover Art belongs to Aphmau / Jessica Bravura._

_Please don't sue me._

* * *

_'This is a peculiar situation,'_ Zex though as he followed the short human female. _'No doubt these beings are humans, and if that's the case, they're far more valuable than they realize. Conflict must be scarce in this realm: she has her back completely turned to me without worry.'_ The assassin spirit felt the grin on his face growing wider in anticipation. _'She's far too trusting of a person she just met. I could kill her...right now.'_ His hand strayed inside his jacket, fingers grasping the hilt of his knife. _'In fact, I'm more than tempted to. I've never had prey this easy...'_

"We're here." She stopped abruptly, turning to face him and forcing him to quickly remove his hand from his clothes.

_'But I prefer a challenge.'_ Zex looked up at the building she had halted in front of. "This is yours?"

"This is...mine? Well, if by that you mean that I live here, then yeah, I guess." She laughed softly. "I live here with - !" The short woman cut herself off with a soft gasp, as if just realizing something. "D-do you think you can wait here? I need to, uh...put away my underwear!"

"Under...where?" He cocked his head, confused at the term as she rushed by him towards the door.

"Look, girls wear them. If guys don't, I don't wanna know that! So be right back!" Without giving him a chance to respond, the little human ran into the building without a backward glance.

He watched her go, debating with himself whether it was worth it to wait for her to come back. _'If she brings this "phone" back here, I may not get a chance to discover how she came into contact with the others. Even more, it might give them a chance to escape.'_

Zex narrowed his eyes in determination as he stepped forward. _'That's a risk I am not willing to take.'_

* * *

Emerald stood behind the couch, watching the end of the crime show with the Daemos. It was interesting to her _this_ was one of the programs they had focused in on, but she didn't have a problem with it. Quite the opposite, in fact: something like this showed them Earth was not completely docile and held danger of its own, while also teaching them a bit about laws and punishment.

All in all, good lessons for them to pick up.

The narrator droned out his usual line to signify the show was ending._ "Tune in next week. Same time, same place."_ As soon as he'd finished, the veteran reached down and grabbed the remote, clicking off the TV.

"Hey!" Asch cried indignantly, glaring at her. "We were going to watch the next show!"

"While I do enjoy the newfound appreciation you all seem to have developed for the culture of Earth, y'all have watched more than enough TV for now." She sniffed the air near them experimentally. "I think showers are _definitely_ in order before the end of the day."

Rhys nodded. "I agree. While it has been enlightening to partake in these shows, we now need to draw our attention elsewhere." He looked to the veteran. "Could you please give us some privacy? I do not mean to be rude, but - "

Emerald held up a hand, stopping him short. "No, it's fine. I need to get back to work packing up in my room, anyway." She waggled the remote in her hand. "Although, I do think I'll take this with me. Just to make sure you guys don't get distracted again." With one last wave to the Daemos, she went back to her room, closing the door behind her once inside.

* * *

Asch glared at his advisor. "What could be so important you're making us miss 'Socky'?"

"Daemos. You need to be enthusiastic about returning, and now more than ever we _need_ to return." Rhys shook his head.

"What makes you say that?"

"I don't see a reason why we should return," Leif scoffed softly.

The spectacled Daemos looked at him in shock. "Leif!"

"We live a pretty nice life here on Earth."

Noi nodded. "I have to agree. It's not like Daemos at all."

"Listen to what you are saying!" Rhys shifted his attention between the two of them, eyes wide in disbelief.

Leif leapt to his feet, already riled up. "No, _you_ listen! You _all_ listen! Have any of you ever, _ever_ had someone on Daemos treat you the way Princess Ava and Dame Emerald have?! Or live without worrying about _dying?!"_

"I'm positive none of us have had that luxury."

"Exactly! And now, here on Earth, we have that! Who in their right mind would want to give that up?!"

"Are you suggesting..._treason?!_ Against Daemos?!"

"We're as good as dead if we go back there."

"Leif! Just listen to yourself!"

"I'm sure I'm not the only one who's been thinking this..." The former assassin glanced over his shoulder at Pierce, who had remained completely silent throughout the conversation.

The large Daemos cleared his throat, but did not look away. "Dame Emerald and I discussed this yesterday while she was resting. We both decided that a...relationship...between us is only possible as long as it does not interfere with our respective duties." He met Rhys's gaze evenly. "I am prepared to depart whenever it is necessary. I only ask that we give Dame Emerald and Princess Ava proper farewells before then."

The spectacled Daemos gave him a nod of understanding. "That is exactly the answer I would expect from both of you."

"Leif is right!" Noi cut in suddenly. "On Daemos, you all know what would have happened to me! Everyone there considers me weak! I would be _dead_ if it wasn't for Asch allowing me to be a knight! I wouldn't even be allowed to breed on Daemos! Here...I actually have a _chance_ with Princess Ava!"

"Listen to you two! You've gone completely mad!"

"Don't try to give us that crap, Rhys. You know you prefer it here, too." Leif sneered at him. "You're just too proud to admit it."

"I...do concede that Earth is, by far, better than our living situation on Daemos. But _this_ isn't our world!"

"Who says it can't be?!"

"There are repercussions for everything, Leif. And at the end of the day, _someone_ has to take responsibility for us being here."

"Dame Emerald is already taking care of all of that! We literally have not had to worry about a single thing since we began staying in this place. She's taken us out more than Princess Ava, she's given us more attention and information than we _ever_ could've gotten on our own, she - "

"There is a very big difference between taking responsibility and shouldering a burden." Rhys glared at the former assassin. "Are you really so oblivious as to ignore what has been happening to both of them, especially these last few days? Dame Emerald has been under an enormous amount of pressure to keep Princess Ava safe while _also_ keeping us out of trouble." He sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose under his glasses in a gesture he seemed to have picked up from the veteran. "She has had three of these 'panic attacks' since we've arrived, two in the past week alone." He frowned. "But you wouldn't know a _thing_ about taking responsibility for anything, now would you?"

Pierce looked between the two Daemos, sensing the rising tensions in the room. "We should calm ourselves before - "

"I've atoned for attempting to assassinate Asch! I've betrayed my clan to become a knight! Meanwhile, _you_ get to sit as Lady Grandma's precious pupil!" Leif sneered in response.

"I faced my own trials and downfalls before _ever_ being her pupil. Don't think you two are the only ones who had to struggle to get to where you are." Rhys glared at Leif and Noi. "You both forget your place. Regardless of where we come from, our past, all four of us have the privilege of being Asch's knights, which allows us to act freely where other Daemos would get punished."

"Silence." Asch took a breath, then looked to his advisor. "Why have you brought this to our attention, Rhys? You're not one to get heated as you have in this conversation."

The spectacled Daemos sighed tiredly. "I've been communicating with Lady Grandma ever since we arrived here on Earth."

"What?!"

Pierce furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. "How?"

"Why didn't you tell us?" Leif seemed equally shocked.

"It was _meant_ to be discreet." Rhys directed a small bow towards the Daemos prince. "I sincerely apologize for keeping this from you, your majesty. However, it was a direct order from Lady Grandma herself that I keep it between her and I."

"Go on," Asch sighed in resignation.

"Lady Grandma has her own interest in Earth. She wanted to advocate for human conservation on Daemos, which would involve us bringing back humans to...breed them."

Pierce shook his head. "That isn't possible on Daemos."

Leif nodded his assent. "That would be an ideal world. You know those humans would be killed on the spot for what they're worth."

"Exactly. Which is why the operation was to be discreet. My job was to find the best candidates for it."

Asch's eyes went wide as the true meaning of Rhys's words sank in. "Ava?! And Emerald?!"

_**"What?!"**_ Pierce leapt to his feet, actually glaring at the royal advisor.

"Hear me out."

"We're listening..." Asch growled, summoning a ball of fire in his hand. The other Daemos were also now standing, respective weapons in hand.

Rhys sighed, clearly disappointed in their reaction. "The exact juvenile response I expected. Listen: when I first saw Ava, I cannot deny she was on my list of candidates. Even moreso when we discovered Emerald. But now...I could never ask that of them."

"Attached?" Noi asked as the others put away their weapons.

"I think we _all_ are, aren't we?"

Asch seemed annoyed again. "What does this have to do with anything?"

"I've attempted communication with Lady Grandma since this morning...and she has not answered."

"You're making us freak out over _that?"_ Leif scoffed. "She's probably just busy."

Noi let out a little giggle. "Yeah, maybe she's just thinking about Pierce!"

Pierce involuntarily shuddered in disgust.

"I don't think you all realize this, but time on Daemos and time on Earth are _very_ different. On Daemos, it has been two days since I called her this morning on Earth."

Asch's eyes widened in panic. "What?!"

"Time is different?!" Noi squeaked out.

"How long have we been gone in Daemos time?!"

"More than four months has passed on Daemos since we've arrived on Earth."

"Four months?" Pierce looked deeply concerned.

Leif shook his head. "I thought it was only twenty-five suns!"

_"One_ month?" Rhys let out a soft chuckle. "No, more than one-hundred and twenty-one suns have passed there."

"H-how?! I-I-I didn't realize -!" The Daemos prince seemed at a loss for words.

"You're fine, Asch. Lady Grandma has covered for you, but I urge us to consider going back _tonight_. Lady Grandma could be in danger, and by extension...ourselves. They may send for us here, putting all of Earth in danger of war with Daemos."

"We _must_ head back for Daemos. _Tonight."_ Leif, Noi, and Pierce all cried out in shock, but Asch continued. "It is the only way to ensure Ava and Emerald's safety. I do not want for Earth to become what Daemos is." He crossed over to the backside of the couch, possibly on his way to fetch Emerald and explain their plans.

"Asch,_ listen,_ I - " Leif began chasing after him...

...only for all of the Daemos to stop short as Ava came rushing in.

"Guys! Guys!" Ava skidded to a halt in front of the door to her bedroom, coughing as she tried to catch her breath from running up the stairs instead of waiting for the elevator.

"Ava? Is something wrong?" Noi cocked his head at her like a confused puppy.

Rhys seemed equally confused. "What has _you_ in a panic?"

"I agree." Everyone turned to see Emerald coming towards them from her room, studying the shorter woman with concern in her eyes. "I could hear you freaking out even though my door was closed. Did something happen?"

"I invited someone in...without even thinking..." Ava rushed out. "In retrospect, I really should've told him I'd bring my phone _down_ to him, but that's _beside_ the point. I'm fully committed and now I'm afraid to change the subject on it!"

"Just take your phone to him, then. What's the big deal about that?" The veteran crossed her arms over her chest, raising one eyebrow.

"No! _They_ need to change into their human clothes, and - " Ava paused as she fully registered what Emerald had just said. "You know what? Y-yeah. I can do that."

As she opened the door to her room, the taller woman followed closely behind. "Care to tell me more about this 'guy' you just met?"

"If we wish to protect Ava and Emerald, then we _must_ go back," Rhys murmured to the others, not wanting the two human women to hear.

"I really need to stop overthinking things," Ava laughed as she and Emerald came back out of her room. "I'm sure he wouldn't _mind_ if I changed my mind right now." Still shaking her head and snickering to herself, she went towards the front door. "I'll be right back, guys."

"Wait...is this the kind of guy who _would_ care if you changed your mind?" Emerald followed closely behind, giving the Daemos a quick, worried glance as she passed by.

"Do you sense that?" Pierce murmured, suddenly looking back at the women as they rounded the corner.

Leif nodded, narrowing his eyes. "Something's here."

The other Daemos exchanged worried glances as each one picked up on the sudden, almost overwhelming pulse of magic coming from nearby...

...in the direction the two women were currently headed.

* * *

"So, you just happened to meet this guy in the exact same area you met the other guys?" Emerald was almost shadowing Ava's steps one for one, barely missing the backs of the woman's shows as they headed towards the front door of the apartment. She furrowed her eyebrows as the shorter woman turned to face her directly.

"Yeah. I mean, it's close to the Convention Center and the bus stop, so it makes sense people would be passing through there." Ava waved her off as she grabbed the doorknob. "It's not like he can actually get into the building without - "

She cut herself off as she opened the door and froze.

The man from downstairs was standing right in the doorway.

Emerald immediately reached forward and slammed the door shut again, flicking the lock as she grabbed Ava by the shoulder and dragged her back a few steps. _"How the **fuck** did he know what floor you live on?!"_ she whispered fiercely.

_"I don't know!"_ the shorter woman whispered back. _"Maybe he's been here before?"_

_"That's even **less** reassuring!"_

_"Look, the point is he's already here. We need to stop being rude and just help him so he goes away!"_

The veteran looked like she wanted to strangle the shorter woman. Instead, she took a deep breath, closing her eyes for a moment before slowly nodding. _"Okay. But stay behind me."_ Bracing herself, the taller woman turned and opened the door back up.

"Hey! Sorry about slamming the door in your face..." Ava grinned at the man sheepishly, pointedly ignoring the glare Emerald shot from the corner of her eye. When he failed to respond, she cleared her throat nervously. "So...why did you come up here? I asked you to wait downstairs."

"That's a very good question." Emerald turned her full attention back to the unexpected visitor. She met his gaze calmly, folding her arms across her chest. "It's kind of creepy, if you ask me."

"I grew tired of waiting for you," he answered simply. Without waiting for a reply, the dark-haired stranger pushed past both women and began walking into the apartment.

_"Whoa-whoa-**whoa!"**_ the veteran shouted, running to get in front of him and block his path. She held out a hand and pushed his chest. "What do you think you're doing?! I didn't give you permission to come in here!"

"Where the heck did you learn your manners from?!" Ava agreed, kicking the front door shut before racing over to stand at Emerald's side.

He gave them a quizzical look. "Manners?"

"Oh God, you _really_ remind me of them now," the shorter woman muttered under her breath.

Emerald looked between the two of them, a little ball of horror growing in the pit of her stomach as she began to suspect who this man might _really_ be...or rather, _what_. She put her arm out in front of Ava, carefully maneuvering her body in between them as she gently pushed the smaller woman back towards the living room. If this guy was from Daemos, then -

"Ava. Emerald." Asch's voice from the other room caught their attention, cutting through the tension that'd been building.

Sensing an out, the veteran scooted Ava back the way they'd come, careful not to leave any part of the shorter woman exposed to this intruder. _'Maybe the Daemos can scare him off,'_ she thought. _'It'd be five against one, so even if he **is** like them, it shouldn't be a problem.'_

"Who are you talking to?" the Daemos prince asked softly.

Emerald noticed all five of them had changed into their human clothes. _'That's good. If this guy is just a creepy human after all, it'll be easier to get him out of here.'_

Suddenly, she caught a distinct shift in their expressions. At the same time, the sound of shoes walking purposefully on the floor towards her came to her ears. Instead of looking back, the veteran straightened her back and kept her focus on the Daemos, hoping they'd be able to give her some sort of cue to dodge if it came down to it.

As always, Ava seemed unaware of the mood in the room. "Sorry, I should've told you guys sooner. This is Zex. I met him outside in the alley, which sounds pretty terrible, now that I say it out loud..."

"You just met him and you let him inside?!" Leif sounded as horrified as Emerald felt, but she didn't dare draw attention to herself when her back was so openly exposed.

"Yeah, uh...I suppose I really allowed myself to let my guard down ever since I met you guys. _**But!**_ I can promise you he seems like a nice person. He's lost, and I just wanted to help him." Ava turned to look back at the newcomer, but caught the expression on Emerald's face. "But, um, next time I'll make sure to ignore someone in need."

_"Christ,_ Ava, that's _not_ the point right now." Emerald huffed out a frustrated breath. She kept herself perfectly still, not wanting to be caught unaware if this "Zex" decided to try something.

"This is bad," Pierce murmured under his breath, narrowing his eyes as he began to think how to get the two human women away from Zex. He heard Asch let out a soft, frustrated sigh.

Oblivious to everything going on around her, Ava fully faced the newest arrival. "Here Zex: my phone. You can use it to make a call if you need - " She cut herself off as she pulled the device from her pocket, noting how the screen hadn't lit up to unlock. "Oh no..." She tapped it a few times. "Battery's out. Darn it! Let me go charge it real quick."

"I'll come with you," Emerald spoke up immediately, keeping step with the shorter woman. She knew if the Daemos were to have any freedom to act, then they couldn't be worrying about the two human women being in the way.

They were almost to Ava's room when the small woman stopped and turned to address the guys. "Zex is new, so make sure you guys are nice to him. I'll be right back."

"Ava, _get in here!"_ The veteran grabbed her by the hood of her sweatshirt, practically dragging her inside the room before slamming the door shut behind them.

No sooner had the door shut, the five Daemos pulled out their weapons, glaring at the dark-haired man.

* * *

"Didn't that human say to play nice?" Zex taunted, choosing _not_ to pull out his short sword.

"How did you manage to get here?!" Asch growled, somehow keeping himself from hurling the fireball in his hand at the assassin spirit.

"Lady Bish has her ways."

Rhys glared at him. "Why are you here?!"

"To bring back Asch, of course. He still needs to fulfill his destiny, to which it's become apparent he's been running away from."

"What are you even talking about?!" Leif growled.

"Oh?" Zex let out an absolutely wicked snicker. "You haven't told them, Asch?" At the Daemos prince's continued silence, he went on. "Well, you may not have to worry yet. Perhaps one of those two humans can take your place. This world is _crawling_ with humans ripe for the picking...and since Lady Bish knows how to get here, I may just make the most of my time here."

"Don't you _dare_ lay a hand on them!"

He focused his attention towards the former assassin. "Leif. So fitting a fellow assassin would be here."

"I'm a knight now."

"Hide it all you want, you know the thrill of the kill will never leave you."

"Enough!" Rhys shouted, glaring at Zex. "What do you want?"

"My mission is simple: I'm here to take back Asch, and I intend to do so."

The Daemos glared at him, seemingly moments away from a fight when the door to Ava's room swung open loudly.

* * *

Emerald was _not_ happy with the present circumstances.

As Ava searched through her bedside table drawer for her charger, the veteran took a moment to try and focus. It was becoming more and more apparent the shorter woman was completely oblivious to the mood pervading the apartment. _'I could tell her what's going on, but that might just make her freak out. The last thing I need to deal with is a panicked Ava.'_

She sighed, taking stock of her own mental status while she had the time. Surprisingly, Emerald felt fairly calm. It seemed having an actual threat to focus on was more manageable than the vague feelings of losing control she'd been dealing with since the Daemos had first come into their lives.

_'All I have to do is keep Ava away from Zex. That's it. No problem.'_ She took one last deep breath before opening her eyes, watching as Ava fished her charger out from behind her nightstand with a cry of victory. _'As long as Ava doesn't know what's going on, she'll be safe.'_ Emerald nodded to herself, confident in her plan.

What could possibly go wrong?

* * *

"Sorry, it took me a while to find a charger. I - " Ava cut herself off as she took in the scene. The five Daemos guys were trying their best to look nonchalant, but it was fairly obvious there had been some sort of confrontation. Luckily, Zex semed to be unharmed.

In fact, the man in question met her gaze and shrugged his shoulders, indicating he had no idea what was going on.

_"Geez, the tension is so thick in here you can cut it with a knife,"_ she whispered to Em, indicating the group in front of them.

_"And why do you think that is?"_ the veteran whispered back, not taking her eyes off Zex.

Ava paused, taking in the scene before them. _"Oh...I get it! They're **jealous!"**_ She felt a grin spreading over her face. _"I brought another guy home! I bet they're **screaming** internally about the idea!"_

* * *

Leif was the closest he'd ever been to panicking in quite some time. _'Why did it have to be **him?!** He's easily one of the strongest assassins on Daemos! Even with five of us, it may not be enough...'_

Noi glared at Zex, determination in his eyes. _'I need to protect Princess Ava and Dame Emerald!'_

_'How **stupid** is Princess Ava to trust some random stranger?!'_ Asch shook his head in stunned disbelief. _'Did she learn nothing from us?!'_

_"We need to plan an escape route,"_ Rhys whispered softly, hoping the other Daemos would hear him without alerting the humans.

_"We **need** to remove Princess Ava and Dame Emerald from this situation,"_ Pierce countered, not daring to look away from Zex.

* * *

_"They **are** jealous!"_ Ava was almost giddy with excitement. _"They're glaring at him like they want to destroy him!"_

Emerald stared down at her roommate in silent horror. She'd known Ava wasn't the most...perceptive person, but to so completely misread a situation was enough to shock the veteran into silence. _'You know what: if that's what she wants to think, fine,'_ she thought to herself. _'If she doesn't know, then she won't panic. As long as I can keep myself between her and Zex, she'll be safe.'_

_"Hey, Em?"_

Emerald shook herself from her thoughts, looking down at her roommate. _"Hmm?"_

_"Should we offer to make something for the guys? It looks like things are getting pretty tense between everyone, so maybe some food would smooth things over?"_

She paused, considering how to answer. _"If...you think that might help."_

Ava nodded back, then faced the group. "Hey, uh, Zex. Are you hungry for anything?" She carefully maneuvered her way through the group, Emerald shadowing her steps.

The veteran risked a glance over at the Daemos, taking some reassurance from the calm expressions on their faces. They seemed to have a handle on the situation, so she was going to trust them to help keep Ava safe.

"Hungry?" Zex seemed confused by the term.

"We really shouldn't be offering someone food," Asch broke in, watching the two women like a hawk.

"Well _Asch,_ it's my house and my rules," Ava shot back, frowning as she took out the loaf of bread from underneath the kitchen island. She gave Zex an apologetic smile. "Feel free to take a seat over by the couch."

Emerald chose not to correct her, instead watching as the Daemos parted to let the man walk through them to the living room. _'They're definitely on edge,'_ she thought as she observed them following closely behind, paying close attention to how they arranged themselves around the intruder.

Asch and Noi were on the outside edges, which made sense: the Daemos would want to protect the former above all, and the latter couldn't really do much without magic. Pierce and Leif were flanking Zex himself, which also made sense: while it was true Rhys was Asch's advisor, Emerald got the feeling his strength lay closer to strategy than close combat.

One thing that _definitely_ stood out was the glares she caught all of them directing at Zex.

"They're literally glaring him down. This is _really_ bad..." she murmured to herself.

"Are Daemos territorial?" Ava paused in the sandwich preparations to study them as well. "Like lions or something? But that doesn't make any sense, right? Or maybe...it actually does."

"I don't think that's - "

Ava cut her off, raising her voice so the Daemos could hear her. "Hey, don't worry. I'll make you guys something, too. You all should just sit down and talk. My phone should be charged soon." She lowered her voice again as she faced the veteran. "There, that should make them feel less threatened. Right?"

Emerald chose to give a noncommittal shrug, hoping this whole situation would just end peacefully.

* * *

Over on the couch, things were anything _but_ peaceful.

Zex sneered at the others. "I never thought I'd see the day that Daemos would answer to humans. How pathetic is that? They've even changed your attire and removed your horns." He scoffed softly. "Truly, this is a new low...even for Prince Asch."

"Do not let him provoke you," Pierce softly warned the others, looking down at his own lap even as he clenched his hands into fists.

"Even the great General Pierce," he purred tauntingly. "You used to serve as Rhal's knight before you were placed with Asch."

"Our past does not define us."

"Of course." Zex studied the faces of the Daemos around him, glancing back over his shoulder towards the two human women briefly. A truly wicked smile began working its way across his face. "I understand now."

"Sorry it took so long." Ava walked over carrying a tray, the veteran so close she was almost brushing her shoulder as they walked. "I'm not as great at cooking as Rhys or Em, so I made sandwiches!" She gave them a sheepish grin. "They have just mayo and ham, but - "

Emerald sensed the movement before her eyes even registered the shift had happened. From the corner of her vision, she saw a sudden shadow appear beside them. **_"Move!"_**

She grabbed Ava in a bear hug, dropping them both to the ground. As she fell, the veteran twisted to the side and kicked her leg up while pushing the shorter woman away from her. If she could just stun him, that'd give the Daemos enough time to react and get Ava to safety -

All thought stopped as she felt Zex's hand clamp down hard around her left ankle, eyes going wide as she found herself being slung in an arc...

...which abruptly ended when her back connected with the fireplace. All her breath was knocked from her lungs, as were her glasses from her face. Her back ached where it'd hit the stone. Her ankle, though now released, felt as if it were on fire._ 'Might have sprained it when he grabbed it,'_ she thought. At least, she _hoped_ it was only a sprain.

_**"Emerald!" "Em!"**_ A cacophony of voices came to her ears, the most alarming of which was Ava's coming from closer than it should have. To her horror, Emerald saw Zex grab the shorter woman, holding a knife to her throat as he backed away from the others. The veteran tried to get up, but his foot was suddenly pressing hard into her chest, forcing her back down to the floor.

Zex let out a malicious chuckle. "Look at that reaction," he taunted, keeping his eyes on the other Daemos.

As one, the others stood and drew their weapons, leveling positively murderous glares at the intruder. "Let them go!" Pierce roared, taking half a step forward.

"I truly never thought I'd see the day when Daemos would have feelings for humans."

"We feel no such thing!" Asch shot back, his whole body tense.

Zex's grin grew wider. "Your actions are showing otherwise. The fact that you all hesitate to kill me as I hold them hostage is more telling than anything you can say." He shifted his foot on Emerald, pushing down on her chest with more of his weight. She wheezed, grabbing ineffectually at his ankle even though it just aggravated her injured hands.

_**"Stop!"**_ Rhys cried, his gaze flicking between the woman and the assassin spirit.

Zex relented, although he kept his foot firmly planted on the veteran. "Prince Asch. You will return with me to Daemos if you wish to see these humans' lives spared."

Asch paused, his eyes darting between the human women and Zex before he sighed heavily. "Very well. My only request is that you spare Princess Ava and Dame Emerald."

"Princess? Dame? These livestock have such lofty titles?" Zex sneered at him, showing no sign of releasing the humans.

Emerald's struggles paused as she took in his words. "W-what?"

"You shut up!" Leif growled, glaring at the assassin spirit.

"What do you mean?" Ava let her eyes dart between each of the Daemos facing her.

Zex let out another long, cruel chuckle. "I wonder what lies they told you in exchange for information. Truly, this opportunity to be in a world infested with humans is too good to pass up."

"Silence!" Rhys ordered, even as his gaze went back to Emerald. He was dismayed to find the veteran's attention was fully focused back on Zex, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"They told us about Daemos," Ava shot back. "About how everyone's in danger and they want to move everyone here!"

Zex's laughter was suddenly very loud in the room. "You _really_ think that?! You're as naive as you look. Of course, I would expect that of a human. Allow me to unveil their mask."

_**"Don't!"**_ Asch cried out, sounding oddly panicked.

"The only 'danger' Daemos is in is a Magic Crisis. Our world is lacking the souls required in order to keep magic flowing through. Our society, our world, is entirely built on magic. Once it collapses, everything falls with it. Not only that, but the most prominent Daemos kingdoms are at war with each other, and our beloved Asch is the heir to the most powerful of them all. So it would make sense that the son of the most prominent kingdom would venture out to try and save the magic from failing." His grin impossibly grew wider. "Especially if his life depends on it."

"Wait! You don't mean..." Rhys's expression softened as he looked to his prince.

"Asch..." Noi whimpered softly.

"It makes sense," Ava cut in. "Who'd want their people to fall? I think Asch - no, _all_ the Daemos here are fighting for a noble cause."

"Do you know why you're so valuable to them?" Zex sneered, leaning in closer to her ear. "Have they told you? Do you know what the _source_ of Daemos magic is?"

"It's humans."

Everyone stopped and looked down at Emerald. Her hand was still firmly on Zex's leg, but she was no longer struggling and her eyes were closed. "It's the reason you claimed you hide your horns while hunting, but were confused by food." A small sob escaped, although no tears fell. "You use magic for literally everything. Even something simple like cleaning or bathing or...cooking..." Her eyes opened, coming to rest on Rhys. "Or glasses..."

Zex let out a disbelieving scoff. "Well, look at that. You're actually somewhat clever. That's a rare trait in your kind." He grinned wickedly at the others. "I can see why they'd be hesitant to destroy such a novelty. Human souls are the source of our power, and it just so happened that the last human kept in captivity was killed around the same time as your friends who happen to appear here. Lady Bish's guess is that these fools killed it and used its soul to make their trip here, and ever since then they've been searching for a way to bring humans to Daemos...starting with you two."

"...i-is this...true?" Ava asked in a tiny voice, tears already appearing at the corners of her eyes. "You were using me? Using us? This whole time?!"

"Princess Ava, _please."_ Rhys met her gaze, pleading for her to trust his words.

Pierce looked between the two women, although his gaze came to rest on Emerald. "Our intent was indeed there, but - "

**_"Shut up!"_** The shorter woman glared at them. "The talk of marriage, everything...you wanted me to bring humans to Daemos." Her eyes flicked down towards Emerald, even though she couldn't actually see the taller woman. "And Em...you all were only nice to her in order to get to me. You used her to make yourselves look better."

"...I'm so sorry..." Asch murmured, sounding broken.

"You apologized to these humans." The assassin spirit let out a mean laugh. "This is too good. Now I see how vulnerable you truly are."

* * *

Emerald was barely following the conversation, the weight of Zex's foot still pressing uncomfortably into her sternum. Her ankle ached, but if she played this next move carefully, that wouldn't be a problem for long.

Slowly, so as not to draw any attention to herself, the veteran had been reaching her hand over towards the fireplace. Specifically, the tools that had been knocked over when she'd been thrown against the hearth. If she could just get ahold of the fire poker...

She felt her fingers brush against the handle. Just a little further -

_**"Shut up!"**_

Emerald jumped at the sudden sound, grunting as the movement made the foot on her chest dig in uncomfortably. She swallowed her discomfort as her fingers registered the heavy fire instrument was now in her grasp. A quick glance upward showed her Zex was still focused on Ava and the others.

She would only get one chance at this.

* * *

Zex grinned at the helpless looks the other Daemos were shooting him. _'They've left themselves completely open with these two humans,'_ he scoffed to himself. _'I can't believe how easy this has been. All I need to do now is - '_

His thoughts stopped as a sudden pain dug into his right bicep, drawing his attention away from the others. He was surprised to see a hooked spear embedded in his arm, barely having time to register it before he felt a noticeable pull.

It was the taller human: she'd had the _audacity_ to attack him while he'd been distracted.

Zex growled, reaching his left arm in front of the shorter human to grab the weapon by the shaft as he removed his foot from the one on the floor. She was going to learn a proper lesson about respecting Daemos.

Starting now.

The assassin spirit easily unhooked the metal from his arm, swinging the weapon in a wide arc before whipping it to the left. As expected, the human was stubborn and had refused to let go of it. She had probably been hoping to give the other human an opening to escape, which would have worked...

...had the small human possessed even an ounce of common sense. Instead, she'd simply stood there in confusion, too rattled by the revelations he'd presented earlier to take advantage of the situation.

The taller woman went flying across the room, straight into the large box sitting on top of the table. There was a sickening _*crack*_ as she collided with it, sending it flying off the table as she fell onto the tabletop. She coughed as she curled in on herself, a small splatter of blood visible near her mouth.

"Em!" The tiny female in front of him tried to take a step forward, but Zex quickly reestablished his grip on her, bringing the knife back up towards her throat. "Your friend just risked her life to save you, and you squandered the opportunity to escape." He gave a low, throaty chuckle as he leaned in closer. "Now she's going to die."

* * *

"Noi, check on Emerald," Pierce ordered as he glared at Zex. As worried as he was about the veteran, he didn't _dare_ take his eyes from the active threat in the room.

Rhys, Leif, and Asch had rearranged themselves slightly to form a line between the fallen human and the assassin spirit. The former Daemos general moved up to stand behind Rhys, gently getting his attention by placing his hand on his back. _"Do you have a plan for how to hide Ava and Emerald on Daemos, should it come to that?"_ he whispered, not daring to look away from Zex.

The spectacled Daemos nodded, barely perceptibly. _"If it become necessary, we need to disguise them as Daemos. It will buy us time to bring them back here, if nothing else."_

As they were talking, Noi leaned over Emerald and carefully touched her shoulder. "Emerald? Where are you hurt?"

_"D-don't worry...about me..."_ she wheezed, clutching her side. She coughed again, another light mist of blood appearing on the table near her mouth. She was shaking as she tried to hug herself closer, looking up at him blearily. _"A-Ava...keep Ava...safe..."_

The smallest Daemos carefully rolled her onto her back, his every action gentle as reached underneath the woman's arms. His fingers carefully probed her side, pausing as he felt _something_ shift under his hands with every shallow breath she took. "Um, Pierce?" He looked up at the large Daemos in fear. "I think Emerald's hurt pretty badly."

Pierce reached over and softly placed his hand against the side of her chest, furrowing his eyebrows as he felt the same thing Noi had. "We need to get her out of here." He knelt down, placing his hands on either side of her head near her temples.

Zex let out a harsh laugh. "As entertaining as it is to watch that human die, it's taking too long." He reached behind him, pulling out a small blue flask with his left hand as he grinned. "Besides, it seems a waste to let it die here, when we can harvest its soul more efficiently on Daemos."

Rhys's eyes widened in recognition. "Wait, that's a - !"

The assassin spirit's grin grew impossibly wide. "You're smart...but not smart enough." He opened his hand, letting the bottle fall towards the floor.

Everything seemed to slow down.

Rhys shouted _**"Now!"**_ as he used Leif's teleportation trick to cross the room, placing his hands on either side of Ava's head. He leaned in close so only she could hear him. _"This won't hurt much,"_ he managed to get out, before the room was enveloped by a bright white light.

One of the last things he saw from the corner of his eye was Pierce mirroring his actions on Emerald.

* * *

As the last of the light faded, the Daemos found themselves outside in a dark, oddly familiar forest. They were only slightly surprised to find their horns once again visible, although they were still clad in the clothing Ava had given them. Confused, they all rose to their feet.

Zex rose as well, eye widening as he took in those present. "What the - ?! Where did they go?!"

"What the crap was that?!" Leif cried out, equally confused.

Noi looked around as if in a daze. "W-we're...back on Daemos..."

Catching sight of Zex nearby, the former assassin drew his knives angrily. "What did you _**do?!"**_ he shouted, phasing over and holding his knives against Zex's throat.

The assassin spirit phased away, reappearing in the branches of a nearby tree. "The humans must have reacted differently to the teleportation." He closed his eyes, sniffing the air experimentally. "Their existence is on our astral plane." Zex gave the group another toothy grin. "They'll be mine." He phased away before they could respond, leaving them alone in the forest.

**"Bastard!"** Asch shouted after him, glaring into the darkness.

Rhys shook his head. "Let him look."

"Huh?! But we need to find them!" Noi cried. "Especially Emerald! She's - "

The spectacled Daemos interrupted smoothly. "Of course. Ava and Emerald are our priority. However, they will be safe on Daemos as long as mine and Pierce's magic lasts."

Leif looked at him in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"Ava and Emerald are smart. Let's just hope they're calm about the situation." He sighed. "As long as they can lie, they will be safe. Let's just hope we find them before anyone else does."

Asch seemed equally lost. "What did you two do?"

"Rhys and I used our magic to give Ava and Emerald Daemos horns." Despite his calm tone of voice, there was definitely a look of worry in Pierce's eyes. "However, I agree with Noi: we must find them as quickly as we can. Emerald _did_ sustain serious injuries, and the color of her blood may reveal her presence, despite our precautions."

Rhys nodded, his face sober. "We should get moving. Even if they are calm, they will need our assistance."

* * *

Emerald limped along through the forest, feeling completely lost.

The veteran held her right hand against her left side, feeling _something_ move around that definitely wasn't supposed to be. Her left ankle was throbbing and swollen, made worse by the fact she didn't have her shoes. _'Guess I should've been wearing them in the apartment after all,'_ she thought, huffing out a short chuckle before immediately regretting it.

However, the most confusing feeling was her head. It felt like a pair of bowling balls were hanging off her temples, giving her a headache and blurring her eyesight. Ahead, it appeared the forest was beginning to thin out. Emerald squinted into the darkness, shaking herself slightly when her vision didn't clear up. _'Oh, that's not good...'_

She leaned painfully against a nearby tree, her head suddenly feeling even heavier. _'No, I don't have time for this! I need to find Ava! I...need to...'_

Emerald was surprised to find herself lying on her back, staring up at a dark sky. Fuzzy moonlight seemed to be filtering down through a canopy of leaves, which felt odd to her: she'd been inside her apartment in the city only a few minutes ago. How'd she get out here?

_'Maybe I...should take a little...rest...'_

Emerald felt herself sliding easily into unconsciousness, even as a chorus of warnings screamed at her somewhere in the back of her mind.

**End Book One**


	28. Chapter 27 - Epilogue (and Requests)

p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"And there we have it!/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"We've reached the end of what I had originally planned for this book. I honestly thought My Inner Demons Season 2 would've started before I reached this point, but with the world being what it is.../p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"...what'cha gonna do?/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"So, in the spirit of keeping in practice with these characters and this world, I would like to open up one-shot requests. I can't promise I'll get to all of them (hell, I can't even promise anyone'll actually be interested in this whole idea), but it's still something I'd like to at least make available./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"So here's the plan:/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"I will be making this the current placeholder for requests. If there's a scenario you want written, give me the characters and a brief description in either a review or a message (still not entirely up to speed on all the features of FanFiction yet, my apologies)./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Requests can be anything (within reason: let's keep it classy, folks). It can be in the canon of this story, it could be something completely out of left field. Let's have fun with this./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"strong style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"To Clarify:/strong I am not opposed to writing limes, but let's not go full lemon quite yet./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"In order to give people plenty of time to get some requests in, I will be taking next week off. After next Sunday (17 May), I will come back and start working on the requests. Depending on the progress I make, it will probably remain at a pace of one chapter a week./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Stay safe, stay hydrated./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;" /p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"strong style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"EDIT TIME:/strong/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"I just wanted to say Thank You to everyone who read this and left reviews along the way./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"I know I haven't really responded to them, and I apologize for that. Community engagement is something new to me...I honestly didn't think many people would find this story at all, let alone read it./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Moving forward, I'll try to be more involved./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.12px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Once again, thank you to everyone who has read and commented. I deeply appreciate all of you./p 


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